To secure important evidence of the probable activity as recorded by the pedometer of a homogeneous group of college men not on diet, arrangements were made for observations on Squad B during the period of December 13 to 19. The homogeneity of these squads is, of course, difficult to determine with strictest accuracy. They were about evenly divided in their make-up between men who were taking the course in physical education and those who were taking the secretarial course. As a matter of fact, Squad A had, excluding Fre, 7 men taking the physical course and 5 taking the secretarial course, while with Squad B, 9 were taking the physical course and 3 the secretarial course. Undue prominence, however, should not be given to this classification, for it is by no means sure that the activities of the men taking the physical course were very much, if any, greater than those of the subjects taking the secretarial course.

Comparison Of Pedometer Records, Squad A, With Those For Squad B On Normal Diet

The normal values obtained for Squad B are recorded in the first line of table 193, with an average of 6.24 miles per day. Comparing this average value, obtained when the subjects were on normal diet, with those obtained with Squad A on reduced diet (see table 192) it can be seen that this is not far from a roughly average figure shown by the latter squad. If anything, it is slightly lower than those obtained when Squad A was at maintenance level, namely, December 13 to 19, and the latter part of January. We believe that this is tolerably good evidence that Squad A was not exercising less, at least so far as the pedometer records are concerned, than the average college student of the undergraduate body. Emphasis should again be laid upon the fact that Squad B was on normal diet, as the men were not put upon reduced rations until January 8. The evidence, therefore, as supplied by the pedometer records, is clearly to the effect that Squad A, after the first two weeks, maintained a level of walking which was perfectly comparable, even when on low diet, to that maintained by Squad B on a normal diet with very much larger energy content.

While the closest attempt to secure quantitative measurements of physical activity by means of pedometers leads to the above findings, yet, in view of the defective nature of the pedometer units, an analysis of the probable physical activities, particularly those other than walking, is essential before the final decision can be made as to whether or not Squad A materially altered their physical activity as compared to that of the average undergraduate in the Y. M. C. A. College.

Pedometer Records For Squad B With Reduced Diet

The pedometer records for Squad B are given in table 193, together with the normal values obtained on December 13 to 19. In considering these, it is important to bear in mind that the observations made on Squad B comprise solely those during a transitional period. The average number of miles during the first week of reduced diet is practically uniform with that on normal diet, but the pronounced fall in the subsequent two values is worthy of emphasis and is clearly to be ascribed to the very severe reduction in diet which took place.

Table 193. - Weekly Record Of Walking (Pedometer) - Squad B

[Average miles per day].