A initiative to tackle childhood obesity will see 45,000 pedometers delivered to 250 deprived schools in the UK.
The Department of Health's 'Schools on the Move' programme gets underway from September 2007 and March 2008, encouraging children to become more active..
Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "Pedometers have been proven to increase the amount of physical activity undertaken by not only young people but by their families as well.
"When this scheme was piloted, we found that children were so keen to improve their step count they often persuaded their families to get more active by going for things like a country walk, or visiting local fitness clubs.
"We have found they appeal particularly to children who wouldn't normally do much physical activity."
Information on a United States school walking program using pedometers can be found at Peaceful Playgrounds : We Count Pedometer Program.