Timed Step Recommendations to Assist in Achieving Daily Goals - A New Strategy for Working and Elderly Adult Populations

With the popularization of health trackers, high-resolution health data (such as hourly step counts) can be collected and used to evaluate health promotion plans. Take daily step goals for example. Research has found that the accumulation of steps in specific time periods throughout the day is closely related to the success rate of achieving the daily step goal. This finding is not only significant for improving public health globally but also provides practical guidance for individuals to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Research Motivation

To explore how adults of different ages and genders achieve their daily step goals, the National University of Singapore and the Health Promotion Board of Singapore conducted an analysis. This study, based on the 24-hour step data from the National Steps Challenge™ Season 3, explored how participants achieved daily goals of 5000, 7500, and 10000 steps and provided targeted hourly step recommendations.

Research Design

The study adopted a retrospective observational design and analyzed data from October 28, 2017, to March 31, 2018. Data from 3075 participants covering a total of 52346 participation days were involved. Researchers used a two-part model to model the hourly step counts, considering the cumulative steps in the previous hour and the demographic information of the participants.

Research Findings

The study showed that on weekdays, participants over 60 had a higher average hourly step count from the start of the day until 6 PM compared to those aged 30 to 59. Additionally, it was found that participants who accumulated at least 7000 steps by 7 PM were more likely to achieve the daily goal of 10000 steps. This provides a basis for setting hourly goals for participants with different characteristics.

Research Significance and Application

The study proposed hourly step recommendations based on individual characteristics, which is significant for future exploration of how prompts and encouragement can promote people to achieve daily exercise goals. These recommendations can be used in future experimental studies to test whether sending reminders and nudges at specific times of the day helps participants achieve their step goals.

Research Highlights

• The combination of exercise recommendations and personalized health management provides a new perspective for individual and group health promotion strategies.
• The use of IoT tracking and data analysis technology for daily activities showcases the potential of modern technology in the field of health promotion.
• The study highlighted differences in daily step activity patterns between elderly populations and working-age groups.
• Provided a new strategy for health behavior interventions based on specific time periods.

Research Value

The scientific value of this study lies in its enhancement of our understanding of the activity patterns of different ages and groups throughout the day and provides new ideas for customizing exercise plans for individuals. It has practical and long-term significance for achieving global health goals and promoting the use of wearable health devices.