| Research Abstract |
Background : Regular exercise, including walking, is an effective way to improve the risk of cardiovascular disease, and may be beneficial in preventing vascular stiffening and atherosclerosis.
Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate whether walking exercise improved cardiovascular risk parameters and arterial stiffness of sedentary, middle-aged and elderly subjects.
Methods : Forty-four community based, physically inactive men and women (age, 53.0±12.7 years) were randomized to either 2 months of walking exercise (n=22) or control condition (n=22). The exercise subjects were instructed to walk briskly 10,000 steps per day, while controls continued their normal daily sedentary life. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), blood pressure (BP), fasting blood lipid and glucose parameters, adiponectin, and anthropometric characteristics were measured at baseline and follow-up.
Results : Average number of walking steps in intervention and control subjects was 9,692and 6,386 per day, respectively. In the intervention group, significant reductions of waist circumference (WC), diastolic BP, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and an increase of adiponectin were observed at follow-up. After adjusting for age, sex, and baseline difference, intervention participants showed significantly greater reduction of baPWV compared to the controls (-0.79m/sec vs. +0.37m/sec, p<0.001). Change in baPWV was significantly correlated to change in WC, systolic and diastolic BP, insulin, and adiponectin, respectively. Using stepwise multivariate regression analysis, diastolic BP (β=0.364) WC reductions (β=0.327) and subject's age (β=0.295) were independently correlated with improved baPWV at follow-up (adjusted R2=0.389, p=0.004).
Conclusions : Increased physical activity achieved by walking 10,000 steps per day may be effective in improving cardiovascular risk parameters and decreasing arterial stiffness in sedentary, middle-aged and elderly subjects.
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