Minute-by-minute stepping rate of daily physical activity in normal and overweight/obese adults

SummaryThe relationship between minute-by-minute stepping rate under free-living and obesity remains unclear. The purpose of the present investigation was to compare the levels of physical activity (PA) based on the minute-by-minute stepping rate under free-living conditions between normal weight (NW) and overweight and obese (OV) individuals. A total 40 volunteers participated in the present investigation. These participants were divided into NW or OV according to the body mass index (<25 kg m−2 or 25 kg m−2). All participants wore a pedometer with a uni-axial accelerometer (Lifecorder-EX 4sec, Kenz, Japan) for 7 days continuously. The Lifecorder determined the number of steps and time spent in PA at <100, 100–129, 130 steps min−1 according to the minute-by-minute stepping rate. The OV group took a significantly fewer number of steps per day in comparison to that in the NW group (p < 0.05). The average daily stepping rate was significantly lower in the OV group in comparison to that in the NW group (p = 0.01). Furthermore, the OV group spent a significantly shorter time in PA at a 100 steps min−1 of the stepping rate compared with that in the NW group (p < 0.05). These results indicate that obese individuals spent significantly shorter time in PA at 100 steps min−1 of stepping rate in comparison to the NW individuals.