Researchers in London were fooled by children taking part in a study to measure how much exercise they do. It seems that when step counts were unusually high they find out that clever children had increased their numbers by attaching their pedometers to their pet dogs.
The pilot study in Whitechapel required 11 and 12-year-olds to clip a pedometer to their waists, with researchers at the center collecting the readings by satellite.
"But after a week we found there were some kids who were extremely active but still obese," said Professor Maffulli.
When adjustments were made for the dog's activity the study indicated that boys in the borough walk or run 12,620 steps a day, below the recommended level of 15,000 steps.
It also found that girls take 10,150 steps, falling short of the recommended 12,000 steps.