Research article - (2014)13, 624 - 631
Low-Volume Walking Program Improves Cardiovascular-Related Health in Older Adults
Jong-Hwan Park1, Masashi Miyashita2,, Masaki Takahashi3, Noriaki Kawanishi4, Harumi Hayashida5, Hyun-Shik Kim6, Katsuhiko Suzuki3, Yoshio Nakamura3
1Dong-A University, Busan, South Korea
2Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo, Japan
3Waseda University, Saitama, Japan
4Juntendo University, Chiba, Japan
5Tokoha University, Shizuoka, Japan
6Sendai University, Miyagi, Japan

Masashi Miyashita
✉ Associate Professor, Tokyo Gakugei University, Faculty of Education, Department of Health and Sports Sciences, 4-1-1 Nukuikitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan
Email: masashi@u-gakugei.ac.jp
Received: 23-12-2014 -- Accepted: 22-05-2014
Published (online): 01-09-2014

ABSTRACT

Although numerous sources of evidence show that regular physical activity is beneficial to health, most individuals do not engage in a sufficient amount of physical activity to meet the guidelines set out by expert panels. In addition, the minimum amount of physical activity associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk markers is not clear in older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-week walking program involving an exercise volume below the current minimum physical activity recommendation on cardiovascular disease risk markers in older adults. The participants were recruited from the following two groups separately: a walking group (n = 14) and a control group (n = 14). In the walking group, participants walked 30 to 60 minutes per session on 2 days per week for 12 weeks (average walking time, 49.4 ± 8.8 min/session). Plasma oxidised low-density lipoprotein concentrations tended to be lower than baseline values in the walking group after 12 weeks (paired t-test, p = 0.127). The ratio of oxidised low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower than the baseline ratio in the walking group after 12 weeks (paired t-test, p = 0.035). Resting systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower than baseline values in the walking group after 12 weeks (paired t-tests, p = 0.002, p < 0.0005, respectively). Our findings demonstrate that a 12-week walking program comprising a low volume of physical activity confers a benefit to cardiovascular-related health in older adults.

Key words: blood pressure, exercise, lipid metabolism, older adults, oxidised low-density lipoprotein

Key Points
  • It is important to consider baseline physical activity levels when evaluating physical activity program.
  • Being physically active is important to reduce the potential risk marker of cardiovascular disease in older adults.
  • These data imply that a small volume of 12-week walking program confers a benefit to cardiovascular-related health in older adults.








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