The Study
Is the number of daily walking steps in sedentary workers affected by age, gender, body mass index, education, and overall energy expenditure?
This study looked at how many steps people took and noticed that people with higher body weight tended to take fewer steps. But it didn't prove that being heavier makes you walk less—it just saw a pattern. It's like noticing that people who eat more ice cream also get more sunburns—maybe it's summer, not the ice cream!
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at how many steps people take each day and if their weight or the device they use affects the count.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 540 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — if you're heavier, you may naturally take fewer steps, and your fitness tracker might not match your pedometer exactly.
- 2People with higher BMI took fewer steps.
- 3Wristbands and phone apps showed similar trends to pedometers but counted different numbers of steps.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Work
Year
2020
Authors
Ekalak Sitthipornvorakul, Pooriput Waongenngarm, V. Lohsoonthorn, Prawit Janwantanakul
Related Content
Claims (3)
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) makes up 15–30% of the total calories burned in a day, and walking is the biggest part of NEAT that a person can control.
People with higher body mass index (BMI) in sedentary white-collar jobs take fewer steps per day than those with lower BMI, based on 7-day step tracking.
Wristband trackers and smartphone apps give step counts that match pedometers in pattern but not in exact numbers when used by sedentary white-collar workers, showing each device measures steps differently.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.