The Effect of Body Mass Index on Pedometer Accuracy in a Free-Living Environment

187 Pages·2016·1.59 MB·English

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative
Exchange
Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School
8-2010
Te Efect of Body Mass Index on Pedometer
Accuracy in a Free-Living Environment
Brian Mathew Tyo
To the Graduate Council:
I am submiting herewith a dissertation writen by Brian Mathew Tyo entitled "Te Efect of Body Mass
Index on Pedometer Accuracy in a Free-Living Environment." I have examined the fnal electronic copy
of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfllment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Exercise and Sport Sciences.
Dixie Tompson, Major Professor
We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance:
David Basset Jr., Eugene Fitzhugh, Naima Moustaid-Moussa, Dawn Podulka-Coe
Accepted for the Council:
Dixie L. Tompson
Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School
(Original signatures are on fle with ofcial student records.)
To the Graduate Council: 

I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Brian Matthew Tyo entitled “The
Effect of Body Mass Index on Pedometer Accuracy in Adults and Adolescents in a Free-
Living Environment.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for
form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Exercise and Sports
Sciences.

Dixie L. Thompson, Major Professor

We have read this dissertation
and recommend its acceptance:

David R. Bassett, Jr.

Eugene C. Fitzhugh

Naima Moustaid-Moussa

Dawn Podulka Coe

Accepted for the Council:

Carolyn R. Hodges
Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

(Original signatures are on file with official student records.)
The Effect of Body Mass Index on Pedometer Accuracy in
Adults and Adolescents in a Free-Living Environment

A Dissertation

Presented for the

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Brian Matthew Tyo

August 2010
Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to my son, Jacob, for providing absolute joy to my
life. You give me a reason to get up each and every morning. I love you and encourage
you to dream and love with all your mind, heart, and soul no matter the cost.

  ii
Acknowledgements
I must thank Dr. Dixie Thompson and Dr. David Bassett for their mentoring and
guidance. It would be impossible for me to repay you for all of the help, advice, and
friendship you have given to me. I can only hope to someday pass along the same to
future students. Your have given me a great model in which to shape my professional
career.
I would also like to thank Dr. Dawn Coe, your expertise helped guide me through
the last leg of the dissertation process. Thanks also to Dr. Eugene Fitzhugh for your
guidance and mentoring throughout my time here in Knoxville. Your insights also
helped guide me through my studies. Thank you to Dr. Naima Moustaid-Moussa for
providing your beneficial insights to my studies.
This dissertation would have been impossible without the help and support of the
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Weight
Management Team. Specifically, I would like to thank Dr. Randol Waters, Hank
Swindle, Lise Bender, and Sherry Harris. Your patience and work ethic helped me
tremendously through this process. Special thanks to Dr. Nicole Swain and Dr. Charlotte
Sutton for giving me the opportunity to interact with your patients and helping me along
the way.
Thank you to Dinesh John, Yuri Feito, Scott Conger, Jeremy Steeves, Jennifer
Flynn and Douglas Gregory for all of your help, laughs, and patience. You helped keep
  iii
me sane throughout the last three years. Special thanks to Pam Andrews for helping me
throughout my time here.
Finally, I would like to thank my family for their love and support.
  iv
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if the New Lifestyles NL-2000
(NL) and the Digi-Walker SW-200 (DW), waist-mounted devices, yield similar daily step
counts as compared to the StepWatch 3 (SW), an ankle-mounted device, worn by adults
and children in the free-living environment.
For the first study, fifty-six adults (32.7 + 14.5 y) wore the devices for seven
consecutive days. There were 20 normal weight, 18 overweight, and 18 obese
participants. The NL and DW undercounted (pedometer error) similarly in the normal
weight and overweight groups (-15.4% to -18.2%, respectively). However, the DW
undercounted more than the NL in the obese group (-32.8% vs -23.9%, respectively).
Stepwise regression revealed that both the NL and DW had more error (undercounted
more) as a greater percentage steps were accumulated while walking slowly. The DW
also had more error with greater BMI. Use of the DW in an obese population will result
in twice the error as compared to a normal weight population and thus the DW should not
be used to determine relationships between walking volume and adiposity
For the second study, 74 children (13 ± 1.1 y) wore the same devices during one
weekday. There were 33 normal weight, 21 overweight, and 20 obese participants. The
error was determined for the NL and DW, and the values were similar in the normal
weight and overweight groups (-10.8% to -15.4%, respectively). The DW undercounted
more than the NL in the obese group (-27.3% vs -8.4%, respectively). The NL was very
consistent regardless of BMI category, recording 89.1% (-10.8% error), 89.1% (-10.9%
  v
error), and 91.6% (-8.4% error) for the normal weight, overweight, and obese
participants, respectively. Stepwise regression revealed that the DW undercounted more
in participants with a high weight. Using the DW in obese children of this age group will
result in significantly more undercounting when compared to normal weight children.
The DW should not be used to determine relationships between walking volume and
adiposity in this population. The NL undercounted by ~10%, regardless of BMI
category.
  vi
Table of Contents
PART I: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 
Statement of the Problem............................................................................................ 7 
Statement of the Purpose ............................................................................................ 8 
Significance of these Studies ...................................................................................... 8 
References..................................................................................................................... 10 
PART II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...................................................................... 18 
The Importance of Physical Activity ........................................................................ 19 
History of Physical Activity.................................................................................. 20 
Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report .......................................... 22 
Physical Activity Trends....................................................................................... 23 
Protective Effects of Physical Activity ................................................................. 29 
Obesity .............................................................................................................. 29 
BMI................................................................................................................... 29 
BMI Trends....................................................................................................... 33 
Waist Circumference ........................................................................................ 34 
Waist Circumference Trends ............................................................................ 37 
Physical Activity and Obesity........................................................................... 38 
The Influence of PA on Type 2 Diabetes.......................................................... 41 
The Influence of Physical Activity on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) ........... 44 
The Influence of Physical Activity on Hypertension........................................ 47 
The Influence of Diet and Various Behaviors on Obesity........................................ 51 
Objective Monitoring.................................................................................................... 53 
Doubly Labeled Water.............................................................................................. 53 
Pedometers................................................................................................................ 56 
Accelerometers ......................................................................................................... 67 
Heart Rate Monitoring .............................................................................................. 70 
Summary ....................................................................................................................... 73 
References..................................................................................................................... 75 
PART III: THE EFFECT OF BMI AND STEP RATE ON PEDOMETER ERROR
IN A FREE-LIVING ENVIRONMENT..................................................................... 107 
Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 108 
Introduction................................................................................................................. 110 
Methods....................................................................................................................... 112 
Participants.............................................................................................................. 112 
Measurements ......................................................................................................... 113 
Statistical Analyses ................................................................................................. 115 
Results......................................................................................................................... 116 
Discussion ................................................................................................................... 117 
  vii