Pedometers helped people walk more in trials; a step goal went with bigger gains.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The review pooled 26 studies with 2,767 adults, most of them women, with an average age of 49. Most were overweight and had normal blood pressure. Most studies came from the United States or Canada.

2. 02

   What they did

   Most people used a pedometer, a small device that counts steps, for an average of 18 weeks. Many were asked to write down their steps, and many had a step goal. In the 8 trials, the other groups wore pedometers that hid their step counts.

3. 03

   What happened

   In the 8 trials, pedometer users walked about 2,500 more steps a day than others, though the trials varied a lot. Across all studies, body mass index fell a little for pedometer users. Their top blood pressure number fell by about 4 mm Hg, but these studies had no comparison group. The authors say part of that drop may be a quirk of the numbers, since people with the highest readings fell most.

What the review found

1. HelpedGoals

   Across 8 trials, people who saw and wrote down their steps walked about 2,500 more steps a day than others.

   • Action: Track your progresstested
   • Rule: Record it yourself by handtested

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies with 277 people · vs people who could not see their steps · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ the studies disagreed a lot; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. No comparisonGoals

   Across pedometer studies, people with a 10,000-step goal tended to add about 3,000 steps a day.

   • Action: Set a specific goalused

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. No comparisonGoals

   Across 18 studies with no other group, pedometer users walked about 2,200 more steps a day.

   • Action: Track your progressused

   Pooled analysis of 18 studies · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

4. No comparisonOther outcomes

   Across 12 studies, pedometer users' top blood pressure fell by about 4 mm Hg from the start.

   • Action: Track your progressused

   Pooled analysis of 12 studies with 468 people · no comparison group · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source