Is Your Pedometer a Dud?

You and a friend strap on your pedometers and go for a walk. Afterward, your devices show different totals. That's because some of these gadgets work better than others. When University of Tennessee experts tested 13 pedometers, 8 either over- or underestimated the number of steps -- one by 45%! Fabio Comana of the American Council on Exercise offers tips for picking a pedometer:

Don't be cheap. Free or inexpensive models likely won't give valid readings. A pedometer should count steps only when you walk.

Program it. Try a model that asks you to measure and program your stride.

Keep it simple. Skip styles that measure calories burned (they're often off the mark, since metabolic rates differ for each of us).

Test it. Walk 100 steps and manually count them. The pedometer should record 85 to 105 steps. If not, try moving it to a different spot on your waist.