Influence of walking volume on health benefits in women post-menopause
Ready, A.E.; Naimark, B.; Ducas, J.; Sawatzky, J.V.; Boreskie, S.L.; Drinkwater, D.T.; Oosterveen, S.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 28(9): 1097-1105
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0195-9131 PMID: 8882996 Document Number: 466198
The health benefits of physical activity are believed to be related more to exercise volume than to intensity. In this 24-wk study, we examined the effect of walking volume on aerobic fitness, serum lipids, and body composition in women post-menopause, a population at risk for coronary artery disease. Of 79 women randomly assigned to groups at the outset, 56 completed the study (mean age 61.3 +- 5.8.). Participants walked at an intensity of 60% peak oxygen uptake ( ovrhdot VO-2peak) for 60 min, 3 d cntdot wk-1 (N = 19) or 5 d cntdot wk-1 (N = 17), or remained sedentary (N = 20). Walking 3 or 5 d cntdot wk-1 increased ovrhdot VO-2peak (ml cntdot kg-1 cntdot min-1) by 12% and 14%, respectively (P lt 0.01). There were no changes in serum lipids in response to either program. Percent body fat decreased by 1.1% and 1.3% in those walking 3 and 5 d cntdot wk-1, respectively; both changes significantly different from the control group (P lt 0.05). Walking 5 d cntdot wk-1 did not result in more health benefits than 3 d cntdot wk-1, possibly due to a greater compensatory decline in activities other than the walking program, or greater discrepancies between actual and reported activity and food intake. Longer-duration programs, or simultaneous changes in diet, may be necessary to alter serum lipids in nonobese, normo-lipidemic women post-menopause.