Achieving the daily step goal of 10,000 steps: The experience of a Canadian family attached to pedometers

Abstract

Background: Health experts recommend daily step goals of 10,000 steps for adults and 12,000 steps for youths to achieve a healthy active living. This article reports the findings of a Canadian family project to investigate whether the recommended daily step goals are achievable in a real life setting, and suggests ways to increase the daily steps to meet the goal. The family project also provides an example to encourage more Canadians to conduct family projects on healthy living. Methods: This is a pilot feasibility study. A Canadian family was recruited for the study, with 4 volunteers (father, mother, son and daughter). Each volunteer was asked to wear a pedometer and to record daily steps for three time periods of each day during a 2-month period. Both minimal routine steps, and additional steps from special non-routine activities, were recorded at work, school and home. Results: The mean number of daily steps from routine minimal daily activities for the family was 6685 steps in a day (16 hr, approx 400 steps/hr). There was thus a mean deficit of 4315 steps per day, or approximately 30,000 steps per week, from the goal (10,000 steps for adults; 12,000 steps for youths). Special activities that were found to effectively increase the steps above the routine level include: walking at brisk pace, grocery shopping, window shopping in a mall, going to an entertainment centre, and attending parties (such as to celebrate the holiday season and birthdays). Discussion: To increase our daily steps to meet the daily step goal, a new culture is recommended: “get off the chair”. By definition, sitting on a chair precludes the opportunity to walk. We encourage people to get off the chair, to go shopping, and to go partying, as a practical and fun way to increase the daily steps. This paper is a call for increased physical activity to meet the daily step goal.

Sex- and age-specific seasonal variations in physical activity among adults

“…Encouraging individuals to participate in alternative physical activities during winter months (ie, winter-specific media campaigns, reducing the cost of indoor facilities) may ensure that regular sufficient physical activity is accrued throughout the year. Moreover, individuals participating in walking and other physical activities in outdoor settings during warmer months could also be encouraged to continue participation in indoor settings during colder months (ie, mall walking, indoor sports) 38 39. Nevertheless, more research examining whether or not seasonality influences adherence to physical activity programs and interventions is needed.…”

Daily step goal of 10,000 steps: A literature review

“…The key to increasing the daily steps is to "get off the chair". 26 By definition, sitting on a chair means deprivation of the opportunity to walk. How about meetings at work that encourage everyone to stand?…”

“…17 One must also keep safety and tactics in mind when planning the route and time of the walk. 33,34 Similarly, while some activities, such as shopping or going to parties, can increase steps, 26 indulgence can create other health and socio-economic problems such as addiction to shopping, over-spending, over-eating and over-drinking.…”

“…25 Choi et al reported 6685 steps in their detailed study on the activities of a Canadian family. 26 Many people can only achieve about slightly more than half of the daily step goal; there is a daily deficit of approximately 4000 steps (with a range of about 3000 to 6000 steps) ( Table 1).…”

Achieving the Physical Activity Guidelines during the Wintertime While Engaging in MyWinter and MyWinterHoliday Activity

“…In addition, adjust the environment according to the weather. Instead of walking outside, walk indoors at the mall or in a large commercial building [36,37].…”