Effects of frequency, intensity, duration and volume of walking interventions on CVD risk factors: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomised controlled trials among inactive healthy adults.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess the effects of walking interventions on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and explore dose-response relationships between walking frequency, intensity, duration, and CVD risk improvements.
Results Summary
Walking interventions showed favorable effects on seven CVD risk factors, including body mass, blood pressure, and fasting glucose, but the study found insufficient evidence to quantify the specific walking parameters required for optimal benefits.
Population
Inactive but healthy adults aged 18 years or older (81% women).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
≥8 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
walking intervention | decrease | body mass | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #1 |
walking intervention | decrease | body mass index | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #2 |
walking intervention | decrease | body fat | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #3 |
walking intervention | decrease | systolic blood pressure | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #4 |
walking intervention | decrease | diastolic blood pressure | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #5 |
walking intervention | decrease | fasting glucose | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #6 |
walking intervention | increase | VO2max | inactive but healthy participants ≥18 years old | - | showed favourable effects | #7 |
OBJECTIVE: Walking interventions in healthy populations show clinically relevant improvements for many cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. We aimed to assess the changes in CVD risk factors and the dose-response relationship between frequency, intensity, duration and volume of walking and cardiovascular risk factors based on randomised controlled trials (RCTs). DESIGN: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. DATA SOURCES: Four electronic databases searched from January 1971 to April 2017. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Walking RCTs reporting one or more CVD risk factor outcomes; trials including at least one group with walking intervention and a no-walking control group; duration ≥8 weeks; participants ≥18 years old, inactive but healthy; risk factors assessed preintervention and postintervention; English-language articles in peer-reviewed journals. RESULTS: Thirty-seven RCTs, involving 2001 participants (81% women) and assessing 13 CVD risk factors, were identified. Pooled meta-analysis showed favourable effects (P≤0.05) of walking intervention for seven CVD risk factors (body mass, body mass index, body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and VO SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: Walking interventions benefit a number of CVD risk factors. Despite multiple studies and tested metrics, only a few dose-response relationships were identified and the possibility of chance findings cannot be ruled out. There is insufficient evidence to quantify the frequency, length, bout duration, intensity and volume of the walking required to improve CVD risk factors. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016039409.