Purpose:

To determine whether the number of steps/day is related to heart risk in individuals participating in a longitudinal clinical trial investigating the reduction of heart risk via telemedicine.

Methods:

Study participants included 28 males and 20 females with one or more treatable risk factors for cardiovascular disease: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, tobacco use, or type II diabetes. Data obtained during the participants initial and four month follow-up visit was retrospectively reviewed; weight, resting blood pressure, lipid profile, risk score and 6-min walk. Between the initial and four-month clinic visits, patients transmitted their blood pressure, heart rate and steps/day. Specific aims: To assess the relation ship between steps per day and heart health biomarkers and determine significant changes in risk biomarkers over the 4-month period.

Results:

All reported r values and differences were significant at the P <.05 level. At study entry there were significant correlations between steps/day and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.36), cholesterol (r = 0.32), and 6-min walk (r = 0.47). At 4 months, steps/day were correlated with 6 min walk (r = 0.51). In addition, there were non-significant trends for HDL (P <.07) and risk score (P <.07). Significant changes over the four months occurred for systolic blood pressure (148 +/- 20 versus 140 +/- 17) and cholesterol (198 +/- 47 versus (190 +/- 44). There were nonsignificant trends for improvements in diastolic blood pressure (80 +/- 12 versus 76 +/- 12; P <.06) and triglycerides (174 +/- 107 versus 155 +/- 88; P <.08).

Conclusions:

Number of steps/day is related to health risk biomarkers, particularly blood pressure, cholesterol, and 6-min walk. Therefore, pedometer quantification of walking is a good tool for tracking participant walking and subsequent health risk. In addition, telemedicine reduced health risk over four months of follow-up.