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The Effects of Brisk Walking on Biochemical Risk
Factors and Functional Capacity in Healthy,
Sedentary 50 to 65 Year Old Patients of Primary
Care M.Tully1, M.E. Cupples1, I.S. Young2, W.S.
Chan1, K. McGlade1 Dept General Practice, Queens
University, Belfast1 Dept of Medicine, Queens
University, Belfast2 Email m.tully_at_qub.ac.uk
Results 527 healthy, sedentary 50-65 year old
patients were identified and invited to
participate. 108 (20.5) patients accepted the
invitation. Of these 108, 13 (12) were excluded
because of their responses indicating health
problems, 43 (39.8) reported taking regular
physical activity and 4 (3.7) reported not
having time to fulfil the study requirements. Of
the 48 patients invited to take part, 17 were
excluded following a screening examination giving
an overall recruitment rate of 5.9 (31/527). Of
the 31 participants who started the programme, 25
completed the study. Their adherence to the
programme was 90. There were no significant
differences in relevant characteristics between
the exercise and control groups at the beginning
of the programme. Significantly decreased
systolic (Plt0.001) and diastolic (Plt0.05) blood
pressure and increased in functional capacity
(Plt0.01) were found within the exercise group.
No changes were observed in the control group.
Discussion Initial findings suggest this type of
trial can be executed within primary care and
provides sound evidence for the planning and
development of physical activity programmes.
Results indicate that this type of programme is
likely to be effective, although there is a need
to design more effective methods of recruitment
if walking programmes are to be delivered in
primary care. References 1. US Department of
Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and
Health A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta,
Ga US Department of Health and Human Services,
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,
National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion 1996. 2. MacAuley D et al.
The Northern Ireland Health and Activity Survey.
Belfast HMSO, 1994. Acknowledgements A special
thanks to the staff and patients of
participating practices.
Introduction Regular physical activity has the
potential of improving the health and functional
capacity of individuals and to reduce the risk of
many illnesses. 1 Currently approximately 75 of
the population do not take the required amount of
exercise to confer a health benefit.2 General
practice is a strategic site for the promotion of
physical activity. This pilot study was designed
to examine the feasibility of a 12 week walking
programme delivered in primary care and its
effects on cardiovascular risk factors and
fitness. Method We searched the computer records
of 3 practices in the Greater Belfast area to
identify healthy, sedentary patients.
Individuals aged between 50 and 65 with no
recorded history of cardiovascular, metabolic,
pulmonary or musculo-skeletal disease were
selected. Letters were written to these patients
by their GP, asking them to indicate their
willingness to participate in a simple exercise
programme. Individuals who were not regularly
active and had no history of illness that would
limit their ability to exercise were randomly
allocated to an exercise group (brisk walking for
30 minutes, five days per week over 12 weeks) or
a control group (no change in lifestyle over the
12 weeks). Adherence to the programme was
assessed using a self-reported diary and a
pedometer (a simple electronic device to record
number of steps taken). The main outcome
measurements were changes in cholesterol and its
subfractions, blood pressure,body mass index,
waisthip ratio and vascular compliance. Change
in functional capacity was assessed using a
validated short walk test.