title: Accumulated brisk walking reduces arterial stiffness in overweight adults: evidence from a randomized control trial.
abstract: Arterial stiffness is a major contributor to the development of atherosclerosis and consequently cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to examine whether 6 months of accumulated (3 × 10 minutes, 5 days/week) brisk walking was sufficient to reduce arterial stiffness in sedentary, overweight individuals. Seventy-seven individuals (19 men, 58 women; age, 30-55 years) were randomly allocated to one of three groups; two groups completed 30 minutes of accumulated walking with either monthly or weekly telephone support; the third group (control) performed stretching exercises. The walking groups were combined and telephone support included as a covariate. Anthropometry, blood pressure (BP), blood lipids, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and NOx (surrogate marker for nitric oxide) were measured at baseline, post-intervention and 4 months post-intervention. No changes were observed for anthropometry, BP, or lipids. However, at the end of the intervention, there was a decrease in PWV (P < .001) accompanied by an increase in NOx (P < .001), with changes maintained 4 months post-intervention. A strong negative correlation between PWV and NOx was also observed (P < .001; r = -0.65). A lifestyle approach to meeting current physical activity guidelines results in favorable alterations in arterial function in overweight individuals.
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (University of Ulster), Coleraine, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Thérèse M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute (University of Ulster), Jordanstown, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Marie H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute (University of Ulster), Jordanstown, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Gareth W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.affiliation: Altnagelvin Hospital (Western Health and Social Care Trust), Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Maurice J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'Kane
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (University of Ulster), Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Electronic address: am.gallagher@ulster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Pulse wave velocity; exercise; moderate activity; nitric oxide