Purposes. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the validity of participant recorded pedometer step logs, (2) examine the relationship between steps per day and percent bodyfat (% BF), and (3) examine differences in steps per day by BMI category (< 25 m/kg2 vs. ≥ 25 kg/m2). Methods . Participants (N = 89; Male: n = 29, age = 37.97 +/- 9.41 years, BMI = 25.87 +/- 4.42 kg/m2, % BF = 21.66 +/- 6.21%; Female: n = 60, age = 40.07 +/- 10.72, BMI = 24.83 +/- 4.72 kg/m 2, % BF = 33.73 +/- 8.11%) in this cross-sectional, descriptive study simultaneously wore a sealed pedometer, unsealed pedometer, and Actigraph accelerometer for nine consecutive days. Body composition was assessed via air-displacement plethysmography (BOD POD). Descriptive statistics, tests of equivalence, correlation coefficients, and independent t-tests were calculated. Three conditions were examined for validity: raw Actigraph steps per day (RAW) vs. participant recorded steps per day (PSD), Actigraph steps corrected for vehicular travel (CORRECTED) vs. PSD, and total accumulated steps from the sealed pedometer (SEALED) vs. total accumulated steps from the participant recorded pedometer (PTOT). Results. There was a strong correlation between RAW and PSD (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001). However, RAW and PSD were not equivalent. Similarly, CORRECTED and PSD resulted in a strong correlation (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001), but they were not equivalent. Comparing SEALED and PTOT indicated a strong correlation (r = 0.96, p < 0.0001) and equivalence. All correlations for steps per day and % BF were moderate (range: r = 0.40 to 0.45). There was a significant difference in steps per day by BMI category in PSD (p = 0.03), but not in RAW and CORRECTED. Conclusions. These results indicate (1) acceptable validity for participant recorded pedometer step logs, (2) moderate relationships between steps per day and % BF, and (3) a significant difference in steps per day by BMI category in PST, but not in RAW and CORRECTED. Future research should attempt to further explain the relationship between Actigraph and pedometer-derived steps
