Effect of a Pedometer-Based Walking Challenge on Increasing Physical Activity levels and Energy Expenditure among Students

Walking, among other forms of exercise can improve health. This by improving the cardiovascular and general wellbeing of individuals. This study was designed to determine the effect of a pedometer-based walking challenge on increasing physical activity levels and energy expenditure in two groups of undergraduate students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Sagamu. Two groups of undergraduate students of OOU aged between 18 and35 years were recruited for the study. They were matched with their BMI. 100 students (male and female) as the test group and another 100 students as the control group. The study group was required to walk for one hour around the campus in additional to normal undergraduate routines. The control Group was required to do the normal routine attending lectures, eating and going back to the Hostels only. Both groups were required to wear Pedometers for 14 days. Amount of fat burnt were read off from their Pedometers. Exclusion criteria were students with cardiovascular or respiratory problems and ill health.  The average distance walked was 3.35 ± 0.31km for the test group and 1.35± 0.08km for the control group for the 14 day period. The Energy and fat burnt was 100.25±11.00kcal and 5.91±0.68grespectively for test group while 31.85 ± 2.76kcal and 2.04 ± 0.16 g respectively for control group for the 14 day period.  It was concluded that engagement in physical exercise in the form of walking lead to increase in the amount of fat burnt as demonstrated in the test group compared with the control group that did not walk for one hour daily for 14 days. Walking daily for one hour is recommended to maintain healthy living. Keywords: Walking, Pedometer, fat burn