Providing Mothers with a Pedometer and Subsequent Effect on the Physical Activity of Their Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Children with Obesity

• Background: Obesity continues to rise, particularly among children, and is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. Physical activity may reduce weight and increase well-being. A pedometer study from the United States, Australia, and Sweden showed that boys need to walk 15,000 steps/day, and girls 12,000 steps/day to maintain a healthy profile. Research shows children with obesity have limited physical activity and they may need parent support to increase their physical activity level. Objective: The aim of this randomized controlled study was to estimate the effect of mothers using pedometers on their children's daily number of steps. Methods: Children/adolescents aged 6-16 years were included and all of them received a pedometer and a step diary. In the intervention group, their mothers received pedometers but not so in the control group. Fifty children were randomized and 32 could be followed-up for 24 weeks. There was no difference in outcome between groups in intention to treat analysis. A complete case analysis showed that the intervention group increased their daily steps (2400, 95% confidence interval 430-4500) compared with the control group (p = 0.019). Conclusions: Involving and activating mothers may increase the children and adolescent's physical activity if implemented more successfully than was done in this study.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Pediatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Pediatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Endokrinologi och diabetes (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Endocrinology and Diabetes (hsv//eng)

Keyword

exercise

mothers

motivation

pediatric obesity

physical activity

preventing childhood obesity

body-mass index

global burden

Pediatrics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)