Effect of weekly hiking on cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly.
Z Gerontol Geriatr
; 48(2): 150-3, 2015 Feb.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24609428
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Hiking is one of the most popular activities among the elderly in Alpine regions. Due to the long-lasting, moderately intensive nature of this form of physical activity, hiking is generally considered to be beneficial to health. However, it is currently unclear whether once-weekly hiking--as commonly practiced at weekends--really does yield such positive effects in elderly persons aged 60 years and over.OBJECTIVES:
This study investigated the effect of a single weekly mountain hiking session on cardiovascular risk factors. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
A 9-month mountain hiking program was completed by 14 male (age 65.6 ± 2.7 years) and 10 female (age 66.2 ± 4.4 years) elderly participants. The program consisted of a single weekly hiking session with the goal of achieving a 500-m altitude increase within 3 h. Before and after the 9-month program, an electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed and blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), high-density (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) measurements were made.RESULTS:
The elderly participants showed a normal cardiovascular risk profile at the start of the investigation. The estimated net energy expenditure for one hiking session was approximately 521 ± 91 kcal. Over the 9-month period, no changes were found in any of the investigated parameters for the entire group. However, participants with untreated hypertension showed a reduced systolic blood pressure.CONCLUSION:
The present investigation showed that moderate-intensity activity only at weekends does not improve cardiovascular risk factors in elderly persons with a relatively normal cardiovascular risk profile. Conversely, elderly persons suffering from hypertension might profit from such a practice.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Blood Pressure
/
Cardiovascular Diseases
/
Physical Fitness
/
Walking
/
Heart Rate
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Z Gerontol Geriatr
Journal subject:
GERIATRIA
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article