The selected article is called “Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health: A systematic review.” The authors delve into the relevant problem of the lack of physical activity today. Bravata et al. (2007) say that higher levels of physical activity would help to improve multiple health conditions, such as coronary artery disease, stroke, depression. For this reason, it is vital to find practical tools to motivate individuals to devote attention to this issue. A pedometer might be an effective tool to attain this goal. For this reason, the article aims at investigating the relationship between pedometer use and physical activity in adult outpatients (Bravata et al., 2007). It will help to determine the opportunities for the devices’ use and whether it can lead to positive results.
The authors conducteda systematic review to investigate the selected problem. Bravata et al. (2007) use databases, such as MEDLINE, Embase, Sport Discus, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, Thompson Scientific, and ERIC, to find information about adult outpatients who had the experience of using the pedometer and can report positive shifts in their daily behaviors. In general, 26 studies with a total number of 2767 participants were selected for the study as they met inclusion criteria (Bravata et al., 2007). The given method is an effective approach to investigate a selected phenomenon.
The results show that the use of a tool leads to higher activity levels and reduced body mass indexes (Bravata et al., 2007). It means that the device can be helpful in assisting individuals to improve their health and wellbeing.Reduced blood pressure is also mentioned as one of the results associated with the given device’s employment (Bravata et al., 2007). However, the results also show a limited data about the prolonged effects of pedometers and their independent use by individuals.
The authors also discuss their findings in the Comment section. First of all, conclude that the use of pedometers can lead to a clinically relevant reduction in blood pressure, body mass index, and associated health risks (Bravata et al., 2007). They assume that it is an important outcome that can be applicable to the modern healthcare sector. However, they also discuss some limitations that might impact results. Bravata et al. (2007) assume that study sizes were comparatively small, and only a few studies evaluated more than one outcome. It means that there is a need for additional investigation of pedometers and their positive impact on the adults’ health. They assume that randomized control trials might be needed to address this limit (Bravata et al., 2007). In such a way, the Comment section offers the discussion of findings and their interpretation.
In general, the paper can be viewed as a valuable source introducing relevant and credible information about the possible ways to struggle against the lack of physical activity. The effective data collection method helps to justify central assumptions and prove the author’s idea. However, it is possible to improve the research by conducting the study with individuals using a pedometer, adding this information to evidence from databases. It will lead to a better understanding of the main challenges and benefits associated with the device.
The given article also introduces the ideas of how an individual’s behavior may impact the greater community. Thus, the nation’s health is one of the major concerns nowadays as the number of chronic diseases increases annually. Thus, using a pedometer, an individual can increase his/her activity levels and reduce the risk of undesired health outcomes and conditions. It will help to save costs for other cases and use them to provide care to patients in need.
The article also helps me to understand my own behavior and the need for change. It is critical for me to have appropriate physical activity levels as it would help to avoid chronic diseases. Following the article’s results, I can benefit from reduced blood pressure and body mass index. For this reason, for me, it is essential to control my daily exercises and guarantee I have sufficient physical activity as it is a key to enhanced well-being. Moreover, I view it as responsible behavior and a way to manage some nagging issues in the healthcare sector. In such a way, the article is a vital source outlining relevant issues and the way to resolve them.
Reference
Bravata, D., Smith-Spangler, C., Sundaram, V., Gienger, A., Lin, N., Lewis, R., Stave, C., Olkin, I., &Sirard, J. (2007). Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health: A systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 298(19), 2296–2304. Web.