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Table 2 Studies of steps/day associated with time in MVPA in young people

From: How many steps/day are enough? for children and adolescents

Reference

Sample Characteristics

Instruments

Monitoring Frame

Analytical Strategy

Summary Findings

Cardon [15]

2004

Belgium

51 boys, 41 girls;

elementary school children;

6.5-12.7 years

Steps/day: Yamax Digiwalker SW-200, Yamax Corp, Japan

MVPA: self-report questionnaire

7 days

Linear regression equation to predict steps/day from self-reported 60 minutes in MVPA

Total: 13,130 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Boys: 15,340 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Girls: 11,317 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Rowlands [16]

2005

UK

13 boys, 13 girls;

primary school children;

8,3 to 10.8 years

Steps/day: Yamax Digi-Walker DW-200, Yamasa, Tokyo, Japan

MVPA: Tritrac-R3D, models T303 and T303A, Professional Products, Reining International, Madison, WI

5 weekdays and 1 weekend day

Sensitivity/specificity analysis of various thresholds to ascertain likelihood of attaining 60 minutes of accelerometer-determined MVPA

Boys: 18,000 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Girls: 15,000 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Beighle [51]

2006

USA

256 boys, 334 girls;

elementary school children;

9.2 ± 1.8 years

Steps/day and Activity Time*: MLS 2505, Walk4Life, Ind., Plainfield, IL

4 weekdays

Linear regression to predict pedometer-determined daily activity time from daily step count

5,000 steps/day = 64.5 minutes of activity

10,000 steps/day = 114.5 minutes of activity

12,000 steps/day = 134.5 minutes of activity

15,000 steps/day = 164.5 minutes of activity

Cardon [49]

2007

Belgium

37 boys, 39 girls;

preschool children;

4 to 5.9 years

Steps/Day: Yamax Digiwalker SW-200, Yamax Corp., Japan

MVPA: MTI Actigraph, 7164 (Fort Walton Beach, FL)

2 weekdays and 2 weekend days

Regression equation to predict steps/day from accelerometer-determined time (60 minutes) in MVPA

13,874 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Adams [52]

2009

USA

12 boys, 28 girls;

Overweight adolescents recruited through primary care providers;

11 to 16 years

Steps and MVPA: Actigraph 7164

7 days

ROC to determine steps/day related to achieving 60 minutes accelerometer-determined MVPA; two definitions of moderate intensity used

MVPA defined at least 3 METs:

9,930 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

MVPA defined at least 4 METs:

11,714 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

Tanaka [50]

2009

Japan

127 boys, 85 girls;

kindergarten/nursery school children;

4.5 to 6.8 years

Steps/day: Lifecorder EX, Suzuken, Nagoya

MVPA: ActivTracer, GMS, Tokyo

4 weekdays and 2 weekend days

Linear regression to predict steps/day from triaxial accelerometer-determined time (60, 100, and 120 minutes) in MVPA

9,934 steps/day = 60 minutes MVPA

12,893 steps/day = 100 minutes MVPA

14,373 steps/day = 120 minutes MVPA

Olds et al.[53]

2010

Australia

129 boys, 168 girls;

9 to 16 years

New Lifestyles 1000

randomly chosen day of six days

Linear regression equation to predict self-reported MVPA from steps/day

1 minute MVPA = 103 steps;

by extrapolation 60 minutes would approximately equal 6180 steps (taken over and above lifestyle activities)

  1. *Activity Time is not necessarily time in MVPA. Activity Time detected by this instrument is accumulated seconds of movement while the step counting lever arm is in motion.