Classification of moderate-intensity walking speed during overground walking

Mini-Oral Presentation C2.12

Authors

  • Peixuan Zheng University of Alabama
  • Scott Ducharme California State University
  • Christopher C. Moore University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Catrine Tudor-Locke University of North Carolina
  • Elroy J. Aguiar University of Alabama

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.766

Keywords:

Moderate Intensity, Walking, Physical Activity

Abstract

Background: Moderate-intensity walking is recommended as an effective strategy to elicit health benefits. The Compendium of Physical Activities suggests that walking at 2.5 mph associates with moderate intensity (i.e., ≥3 metabolic equivalents [METs]). However, this speed was obtained from studies mostly conducted among younger adults and/or using treadmill protocols. It is plausible that moderate-intensity speed thresholds may vary by age and/or walking condition. Purpose: To determine and compare the walking speed associated with moderate-intensity overground walking among young, middle-aged and older adults. Methods: Participants (N=248 healthy adults, 21-85 years, 49%women) performed a single 5-minute overground walking trial at a preferred pace. Speed was measured using an electronic mat, and oxygen uptake was measured using an indirect calorimeter and converted to METs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed for the whole sample and three age groups: young (21-40y; n=75), middle-aged (41-60y; n=79) and older-aged (61-85y; n=94). Optimal thresholds were determined using Youden’s Index and bootstraps with 20,000 replicates. Results: Seventy-five percent of participants achieved 3 METs. Speed thresholds [95%CI] associated with moderate intensity for the whole sample, young, middle-aged, and older-aged groups were 2.87 [2.53, 2.97], 2.86 [2.40, 3.09], 2.80 [2.54, 2.98] and 2.74 [2.48, 2.97] mph, respectively. Conclusions: Optimal overground walking speeds associated with moderate intensity were similar across different age groups, but trended lower with increasing age. Notably, all thresholds were greater than the Compendium of Physical Activities threshold, suggesting that a faster walking speed is required among all age groups to attain moderate intensity during overground walking. Funding: National Institutes of Health National Institute on Aging #: 5R01AG049024. Moore is supported by a T32 Training Grant: NRSA: T32-HL007055-44

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Zheng, P., Ducharme, S., Moore, C., Tudor-Locke, C., & Aguiar, E. (2021). Classification of moderate-intensity walking speed during overground walking: Mini-Oral Presentation C2.12. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.766

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