Archive for March 12th, 2008

The Pedometer: “Small But Terrific” Gadget for Losing Weight

March 12, 2008

Go to fullsize imageObesity continues to be a problem worldwide.  Measures to make people lose weight have made a lot of entrepreneurs out of doctors from selling miracle drugs to lose weight to marketing centers promising dramatic weight loss.  The bottom line however continues to be the need to incorporate lifestyle change to every measure that we implement in increasing chances to a successful weight loss.

The pedometer is one such gadget that is small and handy but a powerful tool to help patients lose weight.  A new meta-analysis published recently in the Annals of Family Medicine showed the effectiveness of this gadget in curbong obesity.

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RESULTS Nine studies met the study inclusion criteria. Cohort sample size ranged from 15 to 106, for a total of 307 participants, 73% of whom were women and 27% of whom were men. The duration of the intervention ranged from 4 weeks to 1 year, with a median duration of 16 weeks. The pooled estimate of mean weight change from baseline using a fixed-effects model and combining data from all 9 cohorts was –1.27 kg (95% confidence interval, –1.85 to –0.70 kg). Longer intervention duration was associated with greater weight change. On average, participants lost 0.05 kg per week during the interventions.

CONCLUSION Pedometer-based walking programs result in a modest amount of weight loss. Longer programs lead to more weight loss than shorter programs.

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What This Study Found as stated by the Editors of the AFM “In Brief”:

 Walking programs that use a pedometer as a motivational tool result in a moderate amount of weight loss in overweight or obese sedentary adults. The average participant in a pedometer-based walking program without dietary change can expect to lose about 1 pound every 10 weeks, or about 5 pounds per year. Longer programs are associated with greater weight loss.

Implications

  • The amount of weight loss from pedometer-based walking programs is small but significant from a clinical perspective.
  • Walking programs that use pedometers can have health benefits that are associated with both a modest weight loss and increased physical activity.

Small Steps Can Lead to Big Changes in Health!!!

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