Does walking 15 minutes per day keep the obesity epidemic away? Simulation of the efficacy of a populationwide campaign.
Small physical activity increases may prevent weight gain in most populations. Geneva residents completed validated quantitative physical activity frequency questionnaires from 1997 to 2001. Fifteen minutes per day of moderate or brisk walking, or 30 minutes per day of slow walking, could increase physical activity at the population level; however, if the specific goal is to approach expending 420 kJ/d (100 kcal/d) through walking, the duration should be closer to 60 minutes for slow walking and 30 minutes for moderate or brisk walking.
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. alfredo.morabia@hcuge.ch
Alfredo
A
Morabia
Michael C
MC
Costanza
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data