title: The impact of body-mass index and steps per day on blood pressure and fasting glucose in older adults.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined impact of obesity and physical activity (PA) on the health of older adults. Pedometer-determined steps/d, body-mass index (BMI), resting blood pressure, and fasting glucose (FG) were assessed in 137 older adults (69.0 +/- 8.9 yr). The active group (>4,227 steps/d) had lower systolic blood pressure (SBP; p = .001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP; p = .028), and FG (p < .001) than the inactive group (< or = 4,227 steps/d). The normal-BMI group (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) had lower SBP (p < .001) and DBP (p = .01) than the obese group (> or =30 kg/m2). There were no differences in SBP (p = .963) or DBP (p = 1.0) between active obese and inactive normal-BMI groups. The active obese group, however, had a more favorable FG than the inactive normal-BMI group (chi 2 = 18.9, df = 3, p = .001). Efforts to increase PA of older adults should receive the same priority as reducing obesity to improve BP and FG levels.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Human Movement Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413, USA.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Strath
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Nora E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose