Step-rate thresholds for moderate and vigorous-intensity activity in persons with Down syndrome

Monitoring physical activity intensity in persons with Down syndrome (DS) may be affected by an altered relationship between metabolic equivalent units (METs) and step-rate. This study examined whether the relationship between METs and step-rate is altered in persons with DS and developed step-rate thresholds for activity intensity for these persons.

Cross-sectional.

Eighteen persons with DS (25±7years; 8 women) and 22 persons without DS (26±5 years; 9 women) completed six over-ground walking trials each lasting 6 min at their preferred speed and at 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, and 1.5 ms⁻¹. METs were measured with portable spirometry and step-rate with hand-tally. Random effects models were used to predict METs from step-rate, squared step-rate, height, presence of DS, sex, and body mass index (BMI).

Step-rate, squared step-rate, height, and presence of DS contributed significantly to the model (SE=0.20 METs; R²=0.63); sex and BMI did not contribute. As height increased, step-rate thresholds for moderate and vigorous-intensity activity decreased. For a given height, participants with DS had lower step-rate at the moderate-intensity threshold than participants without DS. Across participant heights, the moderate-intensity cut-off ranged between 101 and 76 steps min⁻¹ in persons with DS and between 103 and 80 steps min⁻¹ in persons without DS. For persons with DS, step-rate at the vigorous-intensity threshold ranged between 136 and 126 steps min⁻¹.

Persons with DS showed altered relationship between METs and step-rate and had lower step-rate thresholds for moderate-intensity activity than persons without DS.