title: Absolute and relative energy costs of walking in a Brazilian adult probability sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Walking is commonly recommended for enhancing energy expenditure (EE), a basic principle in weight management, and cardiorespiratory fitness. However, walking EE varies with characteristics of a given population, especially by sex and age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study's purpose was to measure EE of walking as influenced by physical and physiological characteristics of a sample of adults (≥ 20 yr) living in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Walking EE and HR were measured during a submaximal multistage treadmill test. The test stages lasted for 3 min each and started at a speed of 1.11 m·s(-1) and a grade of 0%. In the second stage, the grade was maintained at 0%, but the speed was increased to 1.56 m·s(-1) and maintained at this speed but with grade raised by 2.5% at each stage until 10% at stage 6. We measured resting oxygen consumption (MET m) before the test with the participants sitting quietly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MET m (mL O2·kg(-1)·min(-1), mean ± SE) was lower both in women (2.85 ± 0.03) and in men (2.97 ± 0.04) by almost 19% and 15%, respectively, compared with the conventionally estimated MET (METe) of 3.5 mL O2·kg(-1)·min(-1). Walking EE for any given speed and grade had an absolute intensity, expressed as multiples of MET m or MET e, that was practically equal between sexes and age groups, but it incurred higher individual physiological demand or relative intensity for women and older adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resting EE reflected by using METe is overestimated in the adult population of Niterói. Prescription of activities to counteract the existing worldwide obesity epidemic should be ideally based on individual physiological information, especially among women and older individuals.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional and Functional Research Laboratory, Department of Social Nutrition, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Dos Anjos
authors.forename: Juliana da Mata
authors.initials: Jda M
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wahrlich
authors.forename: Mauricio Teixeira Leite
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: De Vasconcellos
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Caspersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult