Can older adults improve the identification of moderate intensity using walking cadence? Stride rate recommendations for moderate-intensity walking. Evaluation of inactive adults' ability to maintain a moderate-intensity walking pace. Patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation for lower limb orthopaedic conditions do much less physical activity than recommended in guidelines for healthy older adults: an observational study. Prevalence of Physical Activity in the United States: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2001 Stride rate and walking intensity in healthy older adults. Walking in Relation to Mortality in a Large Prospective Cohort of Older U.S. Adults. WalkMore: a randomized controlled trial of pedometer-based interventions differing on intensity messages Providing sedentary adults with choices for meeting their walking goals. Can lay-led walking programmes increase physical activity in middle aged adults? A randomised controlled trial
Background The majority of older adults do not reach the physical activity guidelines . One possible explanation for this may be that older adults overestimate their physical activity levels , because they are unable to identify exercise intensity . Methods Forty-four older adults were recruited and r and omly assigned into two walking groups lasting 6 weeks . The intervention group was asked to walk a minimum of 150 min per week at moderate intensity using walking cadence indicated with a pedometer . The control group did not get any feedback on walking intensity . Results The ability to identify moderate intensity while walking did not significantly improve in neither groups ( p = 0.530 ) . However , participants in the intervention group increased significantly the time spent at moderate intensity , in 10 min bouts ( p < 0.01 ) . Discussion A pedometer providing walking cadence to reach moderate intensity is a good tool for increasing time walked at the recommended intensity , but not because participants know more what is considered moderate intensity UNLABELLED Current physical activity guidelines recommend physical activity of at least moderate intensity to gain health benefits . Previous studies have recommended a moderate-intensity walking cadence of 100 steps per minute for adults , but the influence of height or stride length has not been investigated . PURPOSE the purpose of the current study was to determine the role of height and stride length in moderate-intensity walking cadence in adults . METHODS seventy-five adults completed three treadmill walking trials and three overground walking trials at slow , medium , and fast walking speeds while V˙O2 was measured using indirect calorimetry . Five stride length-related variables were also measured . RESULTS mixed model regression analysis demonstrated that height explained as much variability in walking intensity at a given cadence as did two different measures of leg length and two different stride length tests . CONCLUSIONS the previous general recommendations of 100 steps per minute were supported for use where a simple public health message is needed . Depending on height , moderate-intensity walking cadence can vary by more than 20 steps per minute , from 90 to 113 steps per minute for adults 198 to 152 cm tall , respectively . Height should therefore be taken into consideration for more precise evaluation or prescription of walking cadence in adults to provide health benefits OBJECTIVES To determine self-selected brisk walking pace in currently inactive adults and investigate the efficacy of rhythmic auditory stimuli to regulate moderate intensity walking . DESIGN A single- sample controlled laboratory design . METHODS Currently inactive adults ( N=25 ; 76 % female ; age=34±13yr ) completed a moderate intensity treadmill walking trial , during which cadence and steady-state O2 were measured . Participants then completed a 10-min self-paced " brisk " walk followed by a 10-min moderate-paced walk , prompted by a clip-on metronome matched to the treadmill cadence . Data were analyzed using RM t-test , Cohen 's d , Bl and -Altman plot , and one-way RM ANOVA . RESULTS Mean energy expenditure and cadence during the treadmill trial were 3.88±0.53METs and 114±8stepsmin(-1 ) . During self-paced brisk walking cadence was 124±8stepsmin(-1 ) . Cadence during metronome-paced walking was slower for all participants ( 114±8stepsmin(-1 ) ; p<0.05 , d=1.23 ) . From the Bl and -Altman plots , 23 participants walked within ±3stepsmin(-1 ) of the metronome cadence , and the other 2 participants were within ±10stepsmin(-1 ) . There were no significant differences ( p>0.05 ) among the minute-by-minute cadences across the 10min of either condition . CONCLUSIONS Energy expenditure during 2.7 mph treadmill walking was higher than 3 METs . Inactive adults walk at a higher cadence during " brisk " walking , compared to walking at a metronome-guided moderate pace . While the natural walking pace of inactive adults was at an intensity known to produce health benefits , and was maintained for 10min , the use of rhythmic auditory feedback is an effective method for regulating walking at a prescribed intensity in inactive adults QUESTION Are ambulant patients who are admitted for inpatient rehabilitation for a lower limb orthopaedic condition active enough to meet current physical activity guidelines ? DESIGN Prospect i ve observational study . PARTICIPANTS Adults admitted for inpatient rehabilitation for a lower limb orthopaedic condition who were cognitively alert and able to walk independently or with assistance . OUTCOME MEASURES Participants wore an activity monitor for three full days .  Daily time spent in moderate intensity physical activity  was used to determine whether the levels of physical activity recommended in clinical guidelines were achieved . RESULTS Fifty-four participants with a mean age of 74 years ( SD 11 ) took a median of 398 ( IQR 140 to 993 ) steps per day and spent a median of 8 ( IQR 3 to 16 ) minutes walking per day . No participant completed a 10-minute bout of moderate intensity physical activity during the monitoring period . One participant accumulated 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity and nine participants accumulated 15 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity in a day . Physical activity was associated with shorter length of stay ( r=-0.43 ) and higher functional status on discharge ( r=0.39 ) . CONCLUSIONS Adults with lower limb orthopaedic conditions in inpatient rehabilitation are relatively inactive and do not meet current physical activity guidelines for older adults . Results of this study indicate that strategies to increase physical activity are required Introduction The health benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise are well-known . Such exercise , however , has traditionally been defined as vigorous physical activity , such as jogging , swimming , or aerobic dance . Exercise of moderate intensity also promotes health , and many U.S. adults may be experiencing the health benefits of exercise through lifestyle activities of moderate intensity , such as yard work , housework , or walking for transportation . Until recently , public health surveillance systems have not included assessment s of this type of physical activity , focusing on exercise of vigorous intensity . We used an enhanced surveillance tool to describe the prevalence and amount of both moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity physical activity among U.S. adults . Methods We analyzed data from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System , a state-based , r and om-digit  – dialed telephone survey administered to U.S. adults aged 18 years and older ( n = 82,834 men and 120,286 women ) .  Physical activity behavior was assessed using questions design ed to quantify the frequency of participation in moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activities performed during leisure time or for household chores and transportation . Results Overall , 45 % of adults ( 48 % of men and 43 % of women ) were active at recommended levels during nonworking hours ( at least 30 minutes five or more days per week in moderate-intensity activities , equivalent to brisk walking , or at least 20 minutes three or more days per week in vigorous activities , equivalent to running , heavy yard work , or aerobic dance ) . Less than 16 % of adults ( 15 % of men and 17 % of women ) reported no moderate or vigorous activity in a usual week . Conclusion Integrating surveillance of lifestyle activities into national systems is possible , and doing so may provide a more accurate representation of the prevalence of recommended levels of physical activity . These results , however , suggest that the majority of U.S. adults are not active at levels associated with the promotion and maintenance of health PURPOSE The study investigated ( a ) walking intensity ( stride rate and energy expenditure ) under three speed instructions ; ( b ) associations between stride rate , age , height , and walking intensity ; and ( c ) synchronization between stride rate and music tempo during overground walking in a population of healthy older adults . METHODS Twenty-nine participants completed 3 treadmill-walking trials and 3 overground-walking trials at 3 self-selected speeds . Treadmill VO2  was measured using indirect calorimetry .  Stride rate and music tempo were recorded during overground-walking trials . RESULTS Mean stride rate exceeded minimum thresholds for moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) under slow ( 111.41 ± 11.93 ) , medium ( 118.17 ± 11.43 ) , and fast ( 123.79 ± 11.61 ) instructions . A multilevel model showed that stride rate , age , and height have a significant effect ( p < .01 ) on walking intensity . CONCLUSIONS Healthy older adults achieve MVPA with stride rates that fall below published minima for MVPA . Stride rate , age , and height are significant predictors of energy expenditure in this population . Music can be a useful way to guide walking cadence INTRODUCTION Engaging in > 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity weekly is recommended for optimal health . The relationship between walking , the most common activity especially for older adults , and total mortality is not well documented . METHODS Data from a large U.S. prospect i ve cohort study including 62,178 men ( mean age 70.7 years ) and 77,077 women ( mean age 68.9 years ) , among whom 24,688 men and 18,933 women died during 13 years of follow-up ( 1999 - 2012 ) , were used to compute multivariable-adjusted hazard rate ratios and 95 % CIs for walking as the sole form of activity or adjusted for other moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity in relation to total and cause-specific mortality ( data analysis 2015 - 2016 ) . RESULTS Inactivity compared with walking only at less than recommended levels was associated with higher all-cause mortality ( hazard rate ratio=1.26 , 95 % CI=1.21 , 1.31 ) . Meeting one to two times the recommendations through walking only was associated with lower all-cause mortality ( hazard rate ratio=0.80 , 95 % CI=0.78 , 0.83 ) . Associations with walking adjusted for other moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity were similar to walking only . Walking was most strongly associated with respiratory disease mortality followed by cardiovascular disease mortality and then cancer mortality . CONCLUSIONS In older adults , walking below minimum recommended levels is associated with lower all-cause mortality compared with inactivity . Walking at or above physical activity recommendations is associated with even greater decreased risk . Walking is simple , free , and does not require any training , and thus is an ideal activity for most Americans , especially as they age Background Pedometer-based programs have elicited increased walking behaviors associated with improvements in blood pressure in sedentary/low active postmenopausal women , a population at increased risk of cardiovascular disease . Such programs typically encourage increasing the volume of physical activity with little regard for its intensity . Recent advances in commercially available pedometer technology now permit tracking of both steps/day and time in moderate ( or greater ) intensity physical activity on a daily basis . It is not known whether the dual message to increase steps/day while also increasing time spent at higher intensity walking will elicit additional improvements in blood pressure relative to a message to only focus on increasing steps/day . The purpose of this paper is to present the rationale , study design , and protocol s employed in WalkMore , a 3-arm 3-month blinded and r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) design ed to compare the effects of two community pedometer-based walking interventions ( reflecting these separate and combined messages ) relative to a control group on blood pressure in sedentary/low active post-menopausal women , a population at increased risk of cardiovascular disease . Methods / Design 120 sedentary/low active post-menopausal women ( 45 - 74 years of age ) will be r and omly assigned ( computer-generated ) to 1 of 3 groups : A ) 10,000 steps/day ( with no guidance on walking intensity/speed/cadence ; BASIC intervention , n = 50 ) ; B ) 10,000 steps/day and at least 30 minutes in moderate intensity ( i.e. , a cadence of at least 100 steps/min ; ENHANCED intervention , n = 50 ) ; or a Control group ( n = 20 ) . An important strength of the study is the strict control and quantification of the pedometer-based physical activity interventions . The primary outcome is systolic blood pressure . Secondary outcomes include diastolic blood pressure , anthropometric measurements , fasting blood glucose and insulin , flow mediated dilation , gait speed , and accelerometer-determined physical activity and sedentary behavior . Discussion This study can make important contributions to our underst and ing of the relative benefits that walking volume and /or intensity may have on blood pressure in a population at risk of cardiovascular disease . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov Record NCT01519583 , January 18 , BACKGROUND This study was design ed to test different ways of meeting the new ACSM/CDC recommendations for physical activity stating that all Americans at least 2 years of age should obtain 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on most days of the week . METHODS Thirty-two sedentary 18- to 55-year-old adults were r and omly assigned to three groups of brisk walking/6 days per week : 30 continuous minutes , three 10-minute bouts , and 30 minutes in any combination of bouts as long as each bout was at least 5 minutes .  Aerobic fitness , blood pressure , body composition , and physical activity were assessed at baseline , at end of program ( 16 weeks ) , and at follow-up ( 32 weeks ) . RESULTS All groups significantly ( P < /= 0.05 ) improved their aerobic fitness and systolic blood pressure and increased their physical activity at the end of the program . At follow-up all groups maintained these changes , while additionally reducing their percentage body fat and diastolic blood pressure . CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that a walking prescription of 30 minutes per day on most days of the week with the choice to walk in as little as 5 minute bouts can improve cardiovascular health and body composition , as well as help sedentary people maintain those improvements over time . This is supported by all participants indicating that " making walking part of my lifestyle " was the most important factor in maintaining their walking habits Study objective : To compare health walks , a community based lay-led walking scheme versus advice only on physical activity  and cardiovascular health status in middle aged adults . Design : R and omised controlled trial with one year follow up . Physical activity was measured by question naire . Other measures included attitudes to exercise , body mass index , cholesterol , aerobic capacity , and blood pressure . Setting : Primary care and community . Participants : 260 men and women aged 40–70 years , taking less than 120 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week . Main results : Seventy three per cent of people completed the trial . Of these , the proportion increasing their activity above 120 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week was 22.6 % in the advice only and 35.7 % in the health walks group at 12 months ( between group difference = 13 % ( 95 % CI 0.003 % to 25.9 % ) p=0.05 ) . Intention to treat analysis , using the last known value for missing cases , demonstrated smaller differences between the groups ( between group difference = 6 % ( 95 % CI −5 % to 16.4 % ) ) with the trend in favour of health walks . There were improvements in the total time spent and number of occasions of moderate intensity activity , and aerobic capacity , but no statistically significant differences between the groups . Other cardiovascular risk factors remained unchanged . Conclusions : There were no significant between group differences in self reported physical activity at 12 month follow up when the analysis was by intention to treat . In people who completed the trial , health walks was more effective than giving advice only in increasing moderate intensity activity above 120 minutes per week
In general , 100 steps/minute is prescribed for adults to achieve moderate intensity , but older adults may require a higher cadence .
Currently , few studies have explored using walking cadence prescription as an intervention to increase physical activity levels .
Conclusion .
Prescribing walking cadence as a way to increase physical activity levels has potential as a practical and useful strategy , but more evidence is required to assess its ability to increase physical activity levels at moderate intensity
Background .
Most adults choose walking as a leisure activity .
However , many do not reach the international physical activity guidelines for adults , which recommend moderate intensity aerobic activity for at least 150 minutes/week in bouts of 10 minutes .
Purpose .
This systematic review provides an up date on the walking cadence required to reach moderate intensity in adults and older adults , identifies variables associated with reaching moderate intensity , and evaluates how walking cadence intensity should be measured , but the main purpose is to report the interventions that have been attempted to prescribe walking cadence to increase time spent at moderate intensity or other outcomes for adults and older adults .