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Effects of a 6-Month Walking Study on Blood Pressure and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in U.S. and Swedish Adults: ASUKI Step Study

AUTHORS

Ali Soroush 2 , * , Cheryl Der Ananian 3 , Barbara E. Ainsworth 3 , Michael Belyea 4 , Eric Poortvliet 1 , Pamela D. Swan 3 , Jenelle Walker 3 , Agneta Yngve 5

2 Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran

3 School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA

4 College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA

1 Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

5 School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Science, rebro University, Sweden

How to Cite: Soroush A, Der Ananian C, Ainsworth B E, Belyea M, Poortvliet E, et al. Effects of a 6-Month Walking Study on Blood Pressure and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in U.S. and Swedish Adults: ASUKI Step Study, Asian J Sports Med. Online ahead of Print ; 4(2):34492. doi: 10.5812/asjsm.34492.

ARTICLE INFORMATION

Asian Journal of Sports Medicine: 4 (2); 114-124
Published Online: February 9, 2013
Article Type: Research Article
Received: November 7, 2012
Accepted: January 20, 2013
DOI : 10.5812/asjsm.34492
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Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a six-month pedometer-based workplace intervention on changes in resting blood pressure (BP) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).

Methods: A subsample of ASUKI Step participants (n= 355) were randomly selected to have changes in their BP and CRF monitored during the intervention. Pedometers were used to monitor steps taken with a goal of walking more than 10,000 steps/day. Systolic and diastolic BP were taken using an Omron automated BP cuff. Estimated VO2 max was obtained using the strand-Rhyming cycle ergometer test. A multi-level growth modeling approach, and a mixed model ANOVA were used to predict changes in systolic and diastolic BP, and estimated VO2 max over time by steps, age, gender, and university site.

Results: Steps/day averaged 12,256 (SD = 3,180) during month 1 and steadily decreased to month 6. There were significant linear and quadratic trends in systolic and diastolic BP over time. Age was positively related to initial starting values for systolic and diastolic BP, and approached significance for systolic BP changes over time. Steps/day approached significance for linear changes in systolic BP. There was a significant difference between ASU and KI participants estimated VO2 max. There was a significant change over time in the estimated VO2 max. The number of steps taken was significantly related to changes in estimated VO2 max over time.

Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that healthy individuals who took part in a pedometer intervention improved several cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Keywords

Workplace Physical Activity Pedometer Intervention Cardiorespiratory Fitness Blood Pressure VO2 Max

© 2013, Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits copy and redistribute the material just in noncommercial usages, provided the original work is properly cited.

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