Staying Healthy
Smartphone-based mall walking program may boost step counts
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
A smartphone-based mall walking program may motivate people to walk more, according to Japanese study published in the January 2024 issue of JAMA Network Open.
The study included step records from 217,344 mall visitors who downloaded a free step-tracking app on their smartphones. After completing 1,000 steps in the mall, participants received a digital coupon to enter a lottery for shopping points to use at the mall.
Researchers collected daily step count data for all of 2021. They found that on days when people participated in the mall walking program, they took more than 1,200 extra steps per day compared with days they didn't participate. In general, women and people 65 and older showed the greatest increases in additional daily steps.
As the authors point out, malls can be an ideal place to walk because they provide a spacious, safe space without the challenges of bad weather or traffic.
Image: © shironosov/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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