Effects of Walking-Only Intervention on Physical Function, Fall-Related Outcomes, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the effects of walking-only interventions on physical function, fall-related outcomes, and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.
Results Summary
Walking-only interventions improved walking endurance and health-related quality of life, but no significant improvements were observed in other outcomes. The certainty of the evidence was graded as very low due to inconsistency and imprecision.
Population
Community-dwelling older adults
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
walking-only intervention | increase | walking endurance | community-dwelling older adults | standardized mean difference: 1.11, 95% confidence interval: [0.08, 2.15] | improved | #1 |
walking-only intervention | increase | health-related quality of life | community-dwelling older adults | standardized mean difference: 0.71, 95% confidence interval: [0.18, 1.25] | improved | #2 |
walking-only intervention | no change | other outcomes | community-dwelling older adults | - | no significant improvements | #3 |
This study aimed to determine the effects of walking-only intervention (walking was the only exercise in which people participated) on physical function, fall-related outcomes, and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. We conducted a systematic search across five electronic databases, assessing risk of bias using Minds Manual for Guideline Development. Meta-analyses were performed, and pooled standardized mean differences were calculated. Nine studies (a total of 1,309 participants) were included, showing that walking-only interventions improved walking endurance (standardized mean difference: 1.11, 95% confidence interval: [0.08, 2.15]) and health-related quality of life (standardized mean difference: 0.71, 95% confidence interval: [0.18, 1.25]). However, there were no significant improvements in other outcomes. The certainty of the evidence based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach for all outcomes was graded as very low, primarily due to significant inconsistency and imprecision. Our results suggest that walking-only intervention can be effective for enhancing walking endurance and health-related quality of life for community-dwelling older adults. Further studies are required to investigate the effects of walking-only intervention. This need stems from the limited number of randomized controlled trials, heterogeneous intervention settings and results, and the very low certainty of the evidence.