Taking Healthy Steps: rationale, design and baseline characteristics of a randomized trial of a pedometer-based Internet-mediated walking program in veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background Low levels of physical activity are common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a sedentary lifestyle is associated with poor outcomes including increased mortality, frequent hospitalizations, and poor health-related quality of life. Internet-mediated physical activity interventions may increase physical activity and improve health outcomes in persons with COPD.