Proximal Impact of Canada on the Move: The Relationship of Campaign Awareness to Pedometer Ownership and Use

Objective: Despite increased participation in leisure-time physical activity, inactivity remains an important public health problem. This study examines the immediate impact of the Canada on the Move initiative to promote walking through pedometer use among adult Canadians. Methods: Data from a rolling monthly sample were collected via the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute’s Physical Activity Monitor between November 2003 and September 2004. Prevalence rates were compared using Bonferroni-adjusted confidence intervals. Correlates of campaign recall and pedometer ownership were estimated using odds ratios adjusted for age, sex, income and education. Results: Message recall and awareness as well as ownership and use of pedometers increased over the campaign and coincided with promotional activity. There was some evidence of a dose response between the number of messages recalled and pedometer use. Discussion: The increased awareness and usage of pedometers among adult Canadians is encouraging; it indicates that these proximal targets are realistic and achievable for health promotion campaigns and contribute to opportunities for increasing physical activity behaviours.