Pedometer-determined walking and body composition variables in African-American women.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the relationship between pedometer-determined physical activity and body composition variables in middle-aged, African-American women.
METHODS: Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and percent body fat were measured in 69 African-American females (mean age 51.4 +/- 5.4 yr). Subjects wore a pedometer for seven consecutive days, and average steps per day (i.e, walking volume) were compared with each anthropometric variable. Caloric intake was assessed by a 3-d diet record. The subjects were categorized into three different groups based on their physical activity level: <5000, 5000-7499, and > or =7500 steps per day. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to examine the body composition variables among the three groups. Partial correlation coefficients controlling for age and caloric intake were calculated for walking volume and body composition variables (BMI, percent body fat, waist and hip circumferences, and WHR). Significance was set at P < 0.05 for all tests.
RESULTS: There were significant differences between the least active and most active group for age (P = 0.013), BMI (P = 0.005), percent body fat (P < 0.001), waist circumference (P = 0.004), and hip circumference (P = 0.043). When a partial correlation controlling for age and caloric intake was used to compare steps per day with body composition variables, significant negative correlations still existed for each variable except WHR. These correlations were significant for BMI (P < 0.001), percent body fat (P < 0.001), waist circumference (P = 0.002), and hip circumference (P = 0.017).
CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged, African-American women who accumulate more ambulatory activity have significantly lower body fat percentages, BMI values, waist circumferences, and hip circumferences.