Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2004

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Exercise Science

Major Professor

David R. Bassett Jr.

Committee Members

Dixie L. Thompson, Camille O'Bryant

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between pedometer-determined physical activity, measured in steps per day, and several health variables in middle-aged, African-American women. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and % body fat were measured in 69 African-American females (mean age 51.4 ± 5.4 years). Subjects wore a pedometer for 7 consecutive days after their laboratory visit and average steps/day were compared to each health variable. For statistical analyses, subjects were categorized into 3 different groups based on their physical activity level. The categories were < 5,000 steps/day, 5,000-7,499 steps/day, and > 7,500 steps/day. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to examine the health variables among the three groups. Partial correlation coefficients controlling for age were calculated for steps/day and BMI, body fat, waist and hip circumference, and WHR. Significance was set at P< 0.05 for all tests.

This is the first study to investigate the relationships between steps/day and % body fat in middle-aged, African-American females. Significant differences were found among the least active and most active groups for age (P=0.013), average steps/day (P<0.001), body weight (P=0.003), BMI (P=0.005), % body fat (P<0.001), waist circumference (P=0.004), and hip circumference (P=0.043). When a partial correlation controlling for age was used to compare steps/day to body composition variables, negative correlations still existed for each variable. These correlations were significant for BMI (P<0.001), % body fat (P<0.001), waist circumference (P=0.002), and hip circumference (P=0.015). These results show that women who accumulated more steps/day had significantly lower body fat percentages, BMI values, waist circumferences, and hip circumferences.

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