Influence of walking volume on health benefits in women post-menopause.
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 (VO2peak) for 60 min, 3 d.wk-1 (N = 19) or 5 d.wk-1 (N = 17), or remained sedentary (N = 20). Walking 3 or 5 d.wk-1 increased VO2peak (ml.kg-1.min-1) by 12% and 14%, respectively (P < 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.wk-1, respectively; both changes significantly different from the control group (P < 0.05). Walking 5 d.wk-1 did not result in more health benefits than 3 d.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.
Ready
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AE
Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute, Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, Canada.
Naimark
B
B
Ducas
J
J
Sawatzky
J V
JV
Boreskie
S L
SL
Drinkwater
D T
DT
Oosterveen
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001823:Body Composition; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D017698:Postmenopause; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
D008055:Lipids