2.2. Participants
acute infection, arteriosclerotic, fever, alcoholism, respiratory diseases, cardiac insufficiency, psychiatric, malignant neoplastic disorders, renal insufficiency
RESPIRATORY DISEASE, ACUTE INFECTION, UNCONTROLLED HYPERTENSION, EVENT, DISORDERS, METABOLIC DISEASE, IMMUNODEFICIENCY
Couples with a sedentary lifestyle were the defined group of interest in the ANKER-Study, therefore, participants had to meet the following inclusion criteria: age 50–60 years, relationship-duration > 1 year, BMI ≥ 25 and ≤30, sedentary lifestyle (International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) < 3.00 METmin/week) and the ability to participate in moderate hiking tours (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire/PAR-Q). The following exclusion criteria were applied: active lifestyle, immunologically mediated chronic conditions or immunodeficiency, severe respiratory diseases, acute or untreated psychiatric disorders, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled metabolic disease, acute infection or fever, diagnosis of or treatment for malignant neoplastic disorders within the last 5 years, arteriosclerotic event < 6 months before enrollment, cardiac insufficiency, renal insufficiency, diagnosis or history of alcoholism, current recreational drug use, currently smoking > 10 cigarettes/day, orthopedic contraindications for hiking, medication intake > 5mg/d prednisone, colchicine, Imuran, methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide or cyclosporine, intake of weight-loss drugs or preparations as well as pregnancy. By selecting people between 50 and 60 years of age, the interventions studied could contribute to maintaining the ability to work in this age group, as this would be a primary preventive measure to maintain health. The participating couples were recruited online via webpage (