Assessment of intensity effort of middle-aged adults practicing regular walking

Abstract

Background:Walking is one of the most commonly recommended activities for sedentary individuals. When performed at the correct intensity, it can provide cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, and other benefits by providing a training effect in addition to reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and other chronic health conditions.Objectives:The primary aim of this study was to assess whether individuals who practiced regular unsupervised walking carry out the activity safely and with sufficient effort intensity parameters to have a positive physiological (training) effect. The secondary objective was to compare the training heart rate (HR) and the stability of the HR within the ideal range of training between the sexes.Method:Individuals were selected from walking tracks within the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The study included subjects from 40 to 60 years of age who had practiced walking for at least two months prior to the study, walking at least three times a week. Individuals who agreed to participate in the survey were asked to walk 15 minutes at their usual pace with their HR measured every 5 minutes using a heart rate monitor. Their average walking HR was compared to the average training HR based on the formula: (220 - age) × 70 to 80% that would result in a positive physiological training effect.Results:Of the 142 individuals evaluated, 25.4% achieved the average training HR. This result was significantly lower than those who did not achieve the average training HR while walking (p=0.002). There were significant differences between men and women who had reached the training HR (p=0.0001).Conclusion:The authors found that individuals who walk regularly performed outside the range of the ideal HR intensity that would cause a positive physiological effect and therefore would probably not achieve a beneficial training effect while walking.

Fractionized Walking at Self-Selected Paces in Women

“…Walking is a low cost, low injury mode of physical activity [2]. When performed at moderate intensity, walking can provide numerous health related benefits, including a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other chronic health conditions [3]. Specific health benefits of walking and physical fitness in women are related to a decreased risk of coronary heart disease [4][5][6], diabetes [7], hypertension [8,9], breast cancer [10], osteoporosis [11], dementia [12], and all-cause mortality [13][14][15].…”

Associação Do Risco Cardiovascular E Nível De Atividade Física Com a Prática De Caminhada Sem Supervisão

“…Foi verificado os efeitos da caminhada controlada com frequência de 3 vezes durante 20 semanas em população com a mesma faixa etária do presente estudo, e observado efeitos semelhantes na redução da CA (PARKKARI et al, 2000). Obviamente quando comparados a estrutura do exercício (supervisionado versus sem supervisão), exercícios controlados promovem não somente efeitos positivos na saúde, mas também melhora da aptidão física de homens de meiaidade (SILVA et al, 2015), embora a população masculina deste estudo estivesse realizando exercício sem supervisão as medidas de CA encontram-se dentro dos parâmetros considerados adequados para a saúde.…”

“…Foram identificados resultados positivos na melhora da hemodinâmica e diminuição do risco cardiovascular global em usuários de parques públicos submetidos a prescrição individualizada de caminhada, mas sem supervisão profissional (FECCHIO et al, 2014). Por outro lado, foram avaliados indivíduos de meia idade de ambos os sexos, praticantes de caminhada regular não supervisionada e concluíram que esta população executava AF em frequência cardíaca abaixo do recomendado e provavelmente, por este fator, não foram observados efeitos fisiológicos para saúde (SILVA et al, 2015). Em outro estudo, a caminhada não supervisionada promoveu benefícios limitados na redução de fatores de risco cardiovasculares (RC) em idosos quando comparada com grupo controle e associada com outra AF (TRAPÉ et al, 2014).…”