[Objective measurement of physical activity in adults]

Physical inactivity and overweight are important risk factors for several diseases. Brisk walking or jogging recommended currently for physical exercise may be too demanding for subjects having overweight or poor physical condition. The recommendations do not take daily physical activity into account either. Recording of the total amount and intensity of ambulatory physical activity by the accelerometers allows objective assessment of dose-response relations between physical activity and health. By using threshold values of the intensity of physical activity or step counts, more accurate and effective recommendations for physical exercise can be suggested.