Faculty of Health Sciences
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Item Calories and steps! How many days of walking/hiking in the Himalayas does ONE Christmas lunch translate to?(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2015) Pillay, Julian David; Brown, W.Background. The festive season is a time when people are at risk of overeating and weight gain. An active break during this time can help maintain energy balance. Objectives. To determine steps taken during a walk/hike to Everest Base Camp and back and compare estimated activity-related energy expenditure to a typical Christmas lunch. Methods. Five adults (39-70 years) completed an 11-day walk/hike. Pedometer-measured steps were recorded at two cadences: ‘aerobic’ (>100 steps/minute for 10 consecutive minutes) or ‘slower’ steps. Activity-related energy expenditure was estimated using generic values for walking uphill/downhill at each cadence. Energy intake of a typical Christmas lunch was estimated. Results. Participants accumulated a total of 143 770 steps, or 13 070 (SD 8 272) steps/day, 20% of which were ‘aerobic’. Total walk-related energy expenditure was estimated at 22 816 kcals, or 1 901 (SD 580) kcals/day. Conclusion. Estimated energy intake in one Christmas lunch equates to 1.7 days of walking/hiking.Item Steps That Count: The association between the number and intensity of steps accumulated and fitness and health measures(Human Kinetics Journals, 2014-01) Pillay, Julian David; van Mechelen, Willem; Lambert, Estelle V.; Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy L.Background: Pedometer-based recommendations for accumulating steps/d largely focus on volume, with less emphasis on intensity and fitness/health outcomes. We aim to examine this relationship. Methods: A convenience sample (N = 70, 35 men, 32 ± 8yrs) wore a pedometer (4 days). The pedometer classified steps as “aerobic” (≥ 60 steps/minute, minimum duration of 1 minute) or “non-aerobic” (< 60 steps/minute and/or < 1 minute). Estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), derived from a 12-minute submaximal step-test, and health outcomes: blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat (%BF), and waist circumference (WC) were correlated with pedometer data. Participants were grouped according to number and intensity of steps: LOW (< 5000 steps/d), HIGH-LOW (≥ 5000 steps/d, no aerobic steps), HIGH-HIGH (≥ 5000 steps/d, including some aerobic steps). Analyses of covariance, adjusting for age, gender, and total steps/d were used to compare groups. Results: Average steps/d was 6520 ± 2306. Total steps/d and total time spent accumulating “aerobic” steps (minutes/day) were inversely associated with %BF, BMI, WC, and systolic BP (P < .05). After adjusting for gender and total steps/d, %BF was different between all 3 groups, VO2max was different between the LOW and HIGH-HIGH groups, WC was lower in the HIGH-HIGH versus the other 2 groups (P < .03, respectively). Conclusion: Intensity seems an important factor to consider in steps/d cut-points.Item Steps that count! : The development of a pedometer-based health promotion intervention in an employed, health insured South African population(BioMed Central, 2012-10-17) Pillay, Julian David; Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy; Mechelen, Willem; Lambert, Estelle V.Physical activity (PA) has been identified as a central component in the promotion of health. PA programs can provide a low cost intervention opportunity, encouraging PA behavioral change while worksites have been shown to be an appropriate setting for implementing such health promotion programs. Along with these trends, there has been an emergence of the use of pedometers as a self-monitoring and motivational aid for PA. This study determines the effectiveness of a worksite health promotion program comprising of a 10-week, pedometer-based intervention (“Steps that Count!”), and individualized emailbased feedback to effect PA behavioral change.Methods The study is a randomized controlled trial in a worksite setting, using pedometers and individualized email-based feedback to increase steps per day (steps/d). Participant selection will be based on attendance at a corporate wellness event and information obtained, following the completion of a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA), in keeping with inclusion criteria for the study. All participants will, at week 1 (pre-intervention), be provided with a blinded pedometer to assess baseline levels of PA. Participants will be provided with feedback on pedometer data and identify strategies to improve daily PA towards current PA recommendations. Participants will thereafter be randomly assigned to the intervention group (INT) or control group (CTL). The INT will subsequently wear an un-blinded pedometer for 10 consecutive weeks. Individualized feedback messages based on average steps per day, derived from pedometer data (INT) and general supportive/motivational messages (INT+CTL), will be provided via bi-weekly e-mails; blinded pedometer-wear will be conducted at week 12 (post-intervention: INT+CTL). Discussion The purpose of this paper is to outline the rationale behind, and the development of, an intervention aimed at improving ambulatory PA through pedometer use, combined with regular, individualized, email-based feedback. Pedometer-measured PA and individualized feedback may be a practical and easily applied intervention.