Document Type
Response or Comment
Publication Date
3-2022
Abstract
There is a strong link between physical activity and health. Historically, large-scale epidemiological studies have used self-report surveys to capture physical activity measures (eg, type and intensity). In the past 20–30 years, large cohort studies have increasingly adopted devices, such as pedometers, accelerometers, and consumer-marketed activity trackers, to measure physical activity. Device-based physical activity measures alleviate some limitations of self-reporting by increasing measurement objectivity and accuracy. Additionally, device-based measures often show stronger associations with health outcomes than do self-reported measures, showcasing their value in understanding how physical activity affects health. Unlike self-report, device-based measures can capture steps, which are easily understandable and can be effective for goal setting and motivation to increase physical activity levels. Moreover, steps can be used to assess both physical activity volume (eg, steps per day) and intensity (eg, steps per min).
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Publication Information
Montoye, Alexander H. K. and Conger, Scott A.. (2022). "Living a Long Life is a Multi-Step Process". The Lancet: Public Health, 7(3), e200-e201. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(22)00012-3