BMI-referenced cut-points for recommended daily pedometer-determined steps in Australian children and adolescents

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish sex-specific criterion-referenced standards for pedometer-determined physical activity related to body mass index (BMI)-defined weight status among youth. We analyzed data from 7-16-year-old boys (n = 338) and girls (n = 337) and used pedometer-assessed physical activity and anthropometric data to derive average steps/day and BMI. Sex-specific criterion-referenced standards for steps/day relating to healthy weight and overweight/obese were determined using the contrasting groups method. Healthy weight children took more steps/day than overweight or obese (boys: 14,413 vs. 12,088, and girls: 12,562 vs. 10,114, respectively; p < .001). The optimal BMI-referenced cut-point emerging flom our sample was 16,000 steps/day for both boys and girls. Our results and those reported elsewhere suggest that youth take insufficient pedometer-determined steps/day to avoid becoming overweight.
Description
Final accepted manuscript
Keywords
youth, physical activity, weight status, children, body mass index
Citation
McCormack, G. R., Rutherford, J., Giles-Corti, B., Tudor-Locke, C., & Bull, F. (2011). BMI-Referenced Cut-Points for Recommended Daily Pedometer-Determined Steps in Australian Children and Adolescents. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 82(2), 162–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2011.10599743