title: Comparison of caloric expenditure in intermittent and continuous walking bouts.
abstract: This study compared the caloric expenditure of 30 consecutive minutes (30 minute) of moderate intensity walking with 3 intermittent 10-minute bouts (3 x 10 minutes) of moderate intensity walking in healthy, unfit men (40-49 years). Screening consisted of VO(2)max testing, which was measured using the Balke graded exercise test. Criteria for participation in this study included a measured VO(2)max less than 33.8 ml.kg(-1).min(-1) (<25th percentile for cardiorespiratory fitness). Twenty men participated in this study. Testing consisted of 4 trials with a minimum of 5 days between each trial. The 30-minute and 3 x 10-minute bouts were each performed twice to measure test-retest reliability. Once reliability was found, the 2 30-minute and the 2 3 x 10-minute trials were averaged for further data analyses; t-tests showed no significant differences in energy expenditure between 1 continuous 30-minute and the 3 x 10-minute walking bouts at 274 and 279 kcal (p = 0.09), respectively. Thus, 3 x 10-minute intermittent walking bouts throughout the day are equally beneficial, in terms of caloric expenditure, as 1 30-minute continuous walking bout.
authors.affiliation: GRECC, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center/Center for Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. peter076@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Lloyd L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Laubach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*