Increased walking can have other benefits. It makes people more aware of the world around them and helps to relieve traffic congestion in a small way. The invention of the pedometer is credited to various people, including Thomas Jefferson, but the strongest claimant is Robert Hooke who devised one in 1674. Mr Hooke was the main architect of the Monument in London, built to commemorate the Great Fire of London. But this is not an ideal place to use one: its 311 steps go straight up in a spiral stairway, inducing a lot of effort for little forward movement. Still, this should not stop Whitehall from encouraging their use. Pedometers do no harm and could make a significant contribution to the prime minister's prevention-is-better-than-cure policy - a small step forward for good health.
One of the smallest, cheapest, oldest and most cost-effective gadgets of them all, it rarely gets the kind of coverage it deserves. The pedometer, which simply records the number of steps you take as you walk, can be purchased for less than £5 but often has a disproportionate and beneficial effect on health. A recent survey, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that use of a pedometer was associated with significant increases in physical activity and decreases in body mass index and blood pressure. It is not a miracle worker but people with pedometers tend to be more conscious of their daily exercise and, when they drop below the 10,000 steps a day recommended for weight control, are more likely to do something about it.