The study conducted by researchers in the U.K. aimed to determine the accuracy of monitoring a person’s behavior over weeks, months, or years by tracking their activity for just three to seven days. However, Brittain argues that this may not be universally true and that more research is needed to understand the complexities of human behavior.
The study involved providing over 100,000 adults with an accurate accelerometer to wear on their wrists for a week. The data was analyzed from 72,174 participants who wore the device for at least 3 days, including a weekend day, for at least 16 hours per day, even while sleeping. The participants were around 61 years old on average, and their cardiovascular and death outcomes were followed for an average of seven years.
To ensure that the outcomes were not solely influenced by physical activity levels, the researchers adjusted their analysis to consider various factors among participants such as age, sex, ethnicity, educational level, lifestyle habits, family history of diseases and medication use. This helped provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of physical activity on health outcomes.
While it was not possible to account for potential changes in activity levels over time, a subset of participants who wore the step counters again after two to four years showed consistent activity levels. Brittain notes that while activity levels may not have remained consistent for everyone, the overall message of the study is clear: more physical activity is beneficial and the minimum amount needed for benefits may be lower than commonly believed. This finding can empower individuals to prioritize and increase their physical activity levels for better health outcomes.
