Abstract
Background. Low physical activity (PA) levels are associated with poor health risk factor profiles. Intervention strategies to increase PA and quantify the rate and magnitude of change in risk factors are important. Methods. Interventions were conducted over 40 days to increase PA in 736 insufficiently active (<150 min/wk PA) participants using either a pedometer or instructor-led group protocol. There were a further 135 active participants as controls. Major cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, including fitness parameters, were measured before and after intervention. Results. Adherence to the interventions was higher for the group versus pedometer participants (87.1% versus 79.8%) and compliance rates for achieving sufficient levels of PA (≥150 min/wk) were also higher for the group participants (95.8% versus 77.6%). Total weekly PA patterns increased by 300 and 435 minutes, for the pedometer and group participants, respectively. Improvements were found for waist girth, total cholesterol, aerobic fitness, and flexibility relative to controls. The change in vigorous PA, but not moderate PA, was a significant predictor of the change in eight of 11 risk factor variables measured. Conclusions. Rapid and dramatic increases in PA among previously insufficiently active adults can result in important health benefits.
Highlights
Humans throughout most of the world are living longer than ever before [1]
This paper reports on the combined results of multiple 40day physical activity (PA) interventions for insufficiently active adults
Of most importance was the finding that the change in minutes of vigorous PA per week was a significant predictor of the change in eight of 11 risk factor variables
Summary
Humans throughout most of the world are living longer than ever before [1] It is ironic, that as life expectancy continues to increase, chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and dementia are rapidly rising [2]. A cluster of major risk factors for adverse health outcomes includes low levels of physical activity (PA), increasing levels of overweight and obesity, and poor metabolic and functional capacity [4, 6]. The importance of these risk factors for health is reinforced by their persistent high ranking among variables contributing to the burden of disease [4, 7]. Rapid and dramatic increases in PA among previously insufficiently active adults can result in important health benefits
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