A Walking Program for Outpatients in Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Pilot Study Improving physical function and blood pressure in older adults through cobblestone mat walking: a randomized trial. Physiological and Psychological Effects of a Walk in Urban Parks in Fall [The Effects of Urban Forest-walking Program on Health Promotion Behavior, Physical Health, Depression, and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Office-workers]. Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity Effects of Buddhism walking meditation on depression, functional fitness, and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in depressed elderly. Walking in (Affective) Circles: Can Short Walks Enhance Affect? EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH PARAMETERS OF PERSONS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA Physical activity and mental well-being in older people participating in the Better Ageing Project Relationship between regular walking, physical activity, and health-related quality of life. The 'Walking for Wellbeing in the West' randomised controlled trial of a pedometer-based walking programme in combination with physical activity consultation with 12 month follow-up: rationale and study design Neighborhood characteristics, adherence to walking, and depressive symptoms in midlife African American women. Walking to wellness in an ageing sedentary university community: design, method and protocol. Effect of walking distance on 8-year incident depressive symptoms in elderly men with and without chronic disease: the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. Walking football as sustainable exercise for older adults – A pilot investigation Effectiveness of a walking programme to support adults with intellectual disabilities to increase physical activity: walk well cluster-randomised controlled trial “Not easy at all but I am trying”: barriers and facilitators to physical activity in a South African cohort of people living with HIV participating in a home-based pedometer walking programme
The purpose s of this quasi-experimental pilot study were to determine adherence to a 12-week group-based moderate-intensity walking program for sedentary adult out patients with serious and persistent mental illness and to examine change from baseline to after the walking program in health status ( mental and physical health , mood , and psychosocial functioning ) and exercise motivation ( exercise outcomes expectancies , exercise decisional balance ) .  The 15 volunteers in this study were aged 21 to 65 years and enrolled in psychosocial rehabilitation ; they participated in a 12-week walking program meeting three times per week for 1 hr , supplemented with four health information workshops delivered at the beginning of the study . Participants received individual exercise prescriptions determined by preprogram fitness testing and used heart rate monitors during walking sessions .  Thirteen participants ( 87 % ) completed the study and attended 76 % of the walking sessions . Overall , they walked at lower intensity than prescribed , with pulses within target heart rate ranges 35 % of the time during Weeks 1 through 4 , 26 % of the time during Weeks 5 through 8 , and 22 % of the time during Weeks 9 through 12 . However , mood improved ( Profile of Mood States , t = -2.51 , two-tailed , df = 12 , p = .02 ) , as did psychosocial functioning ( Multnomah Community Ability Scale , two-tailed , df = 12 , t = 2.49 , p = .02 ) . The findings indicate a walking group may be feasible for rehabilitation programs . In addition to the known cardiovascular risk-reduction benefits of regular walking , walking may improve mood and psychosocial functioning in adults with serious and persistent mental illness OBJECTIVES To determine the relative effects of cobblestone mat walking , in comparison with regular walking , on physical function and blood pressure in older adults . DESIGN R and omized trial with allocation to cobblestone mat walking or conventional walking . SETTING General community in Eugene , Oregon . PARTICIPANTS One hundred eight physically inactive community-dwelling adults aged 60 to 92 ( mean age+/-st and ard deviation=77.5+/-5.0 ) free of neurological and mobility-limiting orthopedic conditions . INTERVENTION Participants were r and omized to a cobblestone mat walking condition ( n=54 ) or regular walking comparison condition ( n=54 ) and participated in 60-minute group exercise sessions three times per week for 16 consecutive weeks . MEASUREMENTS Primary endpoint measures were balance ( functional reach , static st and ing ) , physical performance ( chair st and s , 50-foot walk , Up and Go ) , and blood pressure ( systolic , diastolic ) . Secondary endpoint measures were Short Form-12 physical and mental health scores and perceptions of health-related benefits from exercise .  RESULTS At the 16-week posttest , differences between the two exercise groups were found for balance measures ( P=.01 ) , chair st and s ( P<.001 ) , 50-foot walk ( P=.01 ) , and blood pressure ( P=.01 ) but not for the Up and Go test ( P=.14 ) . Although significant within-group changes were observed in both groups for the secondary outcome measures , there were no differences between intervention groups . CONCLUSION Cobblestone mat walking improved physical function and reduced blood pressure to a greater extent than conventional walking in older adults . Additional benefits of this walking program included improved health-related quality of life . This new physical activity may provide a therapeutic and health-enhancing exercise alternative for older adults In recent times , attention has been focused on the role of urban green spaces in promoting human health and well-being . However , there is a lack of evidence -based research on the physiological effects of walking in urban green areas . This study aim ed to clarify the physiological and psychological effects of walking in urban parks during fall . Twenty-three males ( mean age 22.3 ± 1.2 years ) were instructed to walk predetermined 15-min courses in an urban park and in a nearby city area ( control ) . Heart rate and heart rate variability were measured to assess physiological responses , and the semantic differential method , Profile of Mood States , and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used to measure psychological responses . We observed that walking in an urban park result ed in a significantly lower heart rate , higher parasympathetic nerve activity , and lower sympathetic nerve activity than walking through the city area . In subjective evaluations , participants were more “ comfortable , ” “ natural , ” “ relaxed , ” and “ vigorous ” after a walk in the urban park . Furthermore , they exhibited significantly lower levels of negative emotions and anxiety . These findings provide scientific evidence for the physiological and psychological relaxation effects of walking in urban parks during fall PURPOSE This study was performed to determine the physical and psychological effects of an urban forest-walking program for office workers . For many workers , sedentary lifestyles can lead to low levels of physical activity causing various health problems despite an increased interest in health promotion . METHODS Fifty four office workers participated in this study . They were assigned to two groups ( experimental group and control group ) in r and om order and the experimental group performed 5 weeks of walking exercise based on Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills Model . The data were collected from October to November 2014 . SPSS 21.0 was used for the statistical analysis . RESULTS The results showed that the urban forest walking program had positive effects on the physical activity level ( U=65.00 , p<.001 ) , health promotion behavior ( t=-2.20 , p=.033 ) , and quality of life ( t=-2.42 , p=.020 ) . However , there were no statistical differences in depression , waist size , body mass index , blood pressure , or bone density between the groups . CONCLUSION The current findings of the study suggest the forest-walking program may have positive effects on improving physical activity , health promotion behavior , and quality of life . The program can be used as an effective and efficient strategy for physical and psychological health promotion for office workers Purpose of review This review highlights recent work evaluating the relationship between exercise , physical activity and physical and mental health . Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies , as well as r and omized clinical trials , are included . Special attention is given to physical conditions , including obesity , cancer , cardiovascular disease and sexual dysfunction . Furthermore , studies relating physical activity to depression and other mood states are review ed . The studies include diverse ethnic population s , including men and women , as well as several age groups ( e.g. adolescents , middle-aged and older adults ) . Recent findings Results of the studies continue to support a growing literature suggesting that exercise , physical activity and physical-activity interventions have beneficial effects across several physical and mental-health outcomes . Generally , participants engaging in regular physical activity display more desirable health outcomes across a variety of physical conditions . Similarly , participants in r and omized clinical trials of physical-activity interventions show better health outcomes , including better general and health-related quality of life , better functional capacity and better mood states . Summary The studies have several implication s for clinical practice and research . Most work suggests that exercise and physical activity are associated with better quality of life and health outcomes . Therefore , assessment and promotion of exercise and physical activity may be beneficial in achieving desired benefits across several population s. Several limitations were noted , particularly in research involving r and omized clinical trials . These trials tend to involve limited sample sizes with short follow-up periods , thus limiting the clinical implication s of the benefits associated with physical activity . Abbreviations CAD : coronary artery disease ; COPD : chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ; CRP : cardiac rehabilitation program ; CVD : cardiovascular disease ; GMCB : group-mediated cognitive – behavioural ; HRQOL : health-related quality of life OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the novel Buddhism-based walking meditation ( BWM ) and the traditional walking exercise ( TWE ) on depression , functional fitness , and vascular reactivity . DESIGN This was a r and omized exercise intervention study . SETTING S/LOCATION The study was conducted in a university hospital setting . SUBJECTS Forty-five elderly participants aged 60 - 90 years with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms were r and omly allocated to the sedentary control , TWE , and BWM groups . INTERVENTIONS The BWM program was based on aerobic walking exercise incorporating the Buddhist meditations performed 3 times/week for 12 weeks . OUTCOME MEASURES Depression score , functional fitness , and endothelium-dependent vasodilation as measured by the flow-mediated dilation ( FMD ) were the outcome measures used . RESULTS Muscle strength , flexibility , agility , dynamic balance , and cardiorespiratory endurance increased in both exercise groups ( p<0.05 ) . Depression score decreased ( p<0.05 ) only in the BWM group . FMD improved ( p<0.05 ) in both exercise groups . Significant reduction in plasma cholesterol , triglyceride , high-density lipoprotein cholesterol , and C-reactive protein were found in both exercise groups , whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , cortisol , and interleukin-6 concentrations decreased only in the BWM group . CONCLUSIONS Buddhist walking meditation was effective in reducing depression , improving functional fitness and vascular reactivity , and appears to confer greater overall improvements than the traditional walking program Recent physical activity recommendations call for activities that are of moderate intensity and can be performed intermittently during the day , such as walking . These proclamations were based partly on the assumption that moderate activities are generally more enjoyable than physically dem and ing ones , and they are , therefore , also more likely to be continued over the long haul . However , little is actually known about the affective outcomes of short bouts of walking and extant findings are equivocal . Four experimental studies examined the affective responses associated with short ( 10- to 15-min ) bouts of walking using a dimensional conceptual model of affect , namely , the circumplex . Results consistently showed that walking was associated with shifts toward increased activation and more positive affective valence . Recovery from walking for 10–15 min was associated with a return toward calmness and relaxation . This pattern was robust across different self-report measures of the circumplex affective dimensions , across ecological setting s ( field and laboratory ) , across time , and across sample Although the benefits of exercise are well documented , few published research studies have examined exercise in persons with schizophrenia . This pilot examined a 16-week walking program for out patients diagnosed with schizophrenia ( N = 10 ) .  Six-minute walking distance , body mass index , percent body fat and severity of psychiatric symptoms were measured . Experimental participants in the walking group experienced significant reductions in body fat ( p = 0.03 ) compared to a control group not participating in the exercises during the same time period . Experimental participants also had greater aerobic fitness , lower body mass indexes , and fewer psychiatric symptoms than controls at the conclusion of the program . Research is needed to identify effective exercise interventions and feasible delivery modalities for persons with schizophrenia in community setting Increasing evidence suggests that physical activity can prevent some aspects of mental illness in older people such as depression , dementia and Alzheimer ’s disease . Additionally , limited research has shown that engagement in structured exercise can improve aspects of psychological well-being such as mood and self-perceptions in older adults . However , the relationship between incidental daily activity such as walking or time spent sedentary , with psychological well-being has not been investigated . The Better Ageing Project provided an opportunity to assess well-being and quality of life using st and ardised question naires with 176 adults aged 70 and over .  Accelerometry was used to objective ly assess daily energy expended in physical activity at different levels of intensity . In addition , an assessment of the impact of the 12-month Better Ageing structured group exercise programme was assessed through question naires and interviews . Total daily physical activity energy expenditure ( joules/day ) and amount of time spent in activity of at least moderate intensity were weakly related ( r = 0.20–0.28 ) to quality of life , subjective well-being and physical self-perceptions . Time spent sedentary ( min/day ) was weakly and negatively related to several mental health indicators . The quantitative data showed only minor psychological benefits of the exercise intervention . In contrast , interviews with 27 research participants and 4 exercise leaders suggested that important improvements in perceived function and social benefits had been experienced BACKGROUND The current physical activity ( PA ) and  health-related quality of life ( HRQoL ) literature warrants further investigation with general population sample s. The exploratory-focused purpose of this study was to compare total PA-HRQoL and walking-HRQoL relations , include a measure of general happiness , and to evaluate potential activity-HRQoL demographic moderators . METHODS A r and om sample of 351 adults completed an adapted Godin Leisure Time Question naire , the SF-36 , and the Satisfaction with Life Scale .  RESULTS Partial correlations revealed small-to-moderate associations between walking/total PA and general health , vitality , and social functioning after controlling for key demographics ( P < 0.05 ) . A dependent t-test determined  walking and PA  as equally related to vitality and social functioning . Multiple regression revealed annual income as a moderator of the total PA/walking-social functioning relationship [ F(3,315 ) = 9.71 and F(3,316 ) = 12.03 , P < 0.01 , respectively ] . CONCLUSIONS HRQoL may be considered with walking interventions and annual income . The contribution of PA to overall happiness appears to be minor Background Scotl and has a policy aim ed at increasing physical activity levels in the population , but evidence on how to achieve this is still developing . Studies that focus on encouraging real world participants to start physical activity in their setting s are needed . The Walking for Well-being in the West study was design ed to assess the effectiveness of a pedometer-based walking programme in combination with physical activity consultation . The study was multi-disciplinary and based in the community . Walking for Well-being in the West investigated whether Scottish men and women , who were not achieving the current physical activity recommendation , increased and maintained walking behaviour over a 12 month period . This paper outlines the rationale and design of this innovative and pragmatic study . Methods Participants were r and omised into two groups : Group 1 : Intervention ( pedometer-based walking programme combined with a series of physical activity consultations ) ; Group 2 : Waiting list control for 12 weeks ( followed by minimal pedometer-based intervention ) . Physical activity ( primary outcome ) was measured using  pedometer step counts ( 7 day ) and the International Physical Activity Question naire ( long version ) . Psychological processes were measured using question naires relating to the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change , mood ( Positive and Negative Affect Schedule ) and quality of life ( Euroqol EQ-5D instrument ) . Physiological measures included anthropometric and metabolic outcomes . Environmental influences were assessed subjectively ( Neighbourhood Quality of Life Survey ) and objective ly ( neighbourhood audit tool and GIS mapping ) . The qualitative evaluation employed observation , semi-structured interviews and focus groups . A supplementary study undertook an economic evaluation . Discussion Data analysis is on-going . Walking for Well-being in the West will demonstrate if a pedometer based walking programme , in combination with physical activity consultation results in a sustainable increase in walking behaviour in this sample of Scottish adults over a 12 month period . The study will examine the complex relationships between behavioural change , health consequences and the role of the environment , in conjunction with the cost effectiveness of this approach and a detailed insight into the participants ' experiences of the intervention . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT BACKGROUND African American women have more symptoms of depressed mood than white women . Adverse neighborhood conditions may contribute to these symptoms . Although reductions in depressive symptoms with physical activity have been demonstrated in white adults , little research has examined the mental health benefits of physical activity in African American women . Further , it is unknown whether physical activity can offset the effects of living in disadvantaged neighborhoods on depressive symptoms . The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among neighborhood characteristics , adherence to a physical activity intervention , and change over time in depressive symptoms in midlife African American women . METHODS Two hundred seventy-eight women participated in a home-based , 24-week moderate-intensity walking intervention . Either a minimal treatment ( MT ) or enhanced treatment ( ET ) version of the intervention was r and omly assigned to one of the two community health centers .  Walking adherence was measured as the percentage of prescribed walks completed . Objective and perceived measures of neighborhood deterioration and crime were included . RESULTS Adjusting for demographics , body mass index ( BMI ) , and depressive symptoms at baseline , walking adherence and objective neighborhood deterioration were associated with significantly lower depressive symptoms , whereas perceived neighborhood deterioration was associated with significantly higher depressive symptoms at 24 weeks . CONCLUSIONS Adherence to walking as well as aspects of the environment may influence depressive symptoms in African American women . In addition to supporting active lifestyles , improving neighborhood conditions may also promote mental health among African American women BACKGROUND Older workers are less physically active and have a higher rate and cost of injury than younger workers and so have reduced work-ability . Concurrently , sedentary behaviour in the workplace , in transport and in the home is increasing and has harmful health effects . Walking is a familiar , convenient , and free form of health-enhancing physical activity that can be integrated into working life and sustained into older age however workplace walking programs targeted at older workers have not been evaluated . PURPOSE We design ed a r and omised-controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a phased individually-tailored 10-week walking program on work-day steps , health status and work-ability of employees at an Australian university with an ageing sedentary workforce . METHODS A convenience sample of 154 academic and administrative employees aged 45 - 70 years will be recruited and r and omly allocated to either an experimental ( walking ) group or control ( maintain usual activity ) group . Participants will be provided with a pedometer and complete measures for step count , % body fat , waist circumference , blood pressure , self-reported physical activity , psychological wellbeing and work-ability , at baseline and end-intervention . ' Walkers ' will select approaches tailored to their individual preference , psychological characteristics or life circumstances . Two distinct intervention phases will target adoption ( weeks 2 - 5 ) and adherence ( weeks 7 - 12 ) using ' Stages of Behaviour Change ' principles . An ANOVA will test for effect of treatment on outcome with the baseline value entered as a covariate . DISCUSSION This study will test whether tailoring worksite walking is an effective means of promoting health-enhancing physical activity in ageing sedentary workers OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of walking on incident depressive symptoms in elderly Japanese-American men with and without chronic disease . DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort study . SETTING The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study . PARTICIPANTS Japanese-American men aged 71 to 93 at baseline . MEASUREMENTS  Physical activity was assessed according to self-reported distance walked per day . Depressive symptoms were measured using an 11- question version of the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale ( CES-D 11 ) at the fourth examination ( n=3,196 ) and at the seventh examination 8 years later ( 1999/00 , n=1,417 ) . Presence of incident depressive symptoms was defined as a CES-D 11 score of 9 or greater or taking antidepressants at Examination 7 . Subjects with prevalent depressive symptoms at baseline were excluded . RESULTS Age-adjusted 8-year incident depressive symptoms were 13.6 % , 7.6 % , and 8.5 % for low ( < 0.25 miles/day ) , intermediate ( 0.25 - 1.5 miles/day ) , and high ( > 1.5 miles/day ) walking groups at baseline ( P=0.008 ) . Multiple logistic regression analyses , adjusted for age , education , marital status , cardiovascular risk factors , prevalent diseases , and functional impairment , showed that those in the intermediate and highest walking groups had significantly lower odds of developing 8-year incident depressive symptoms ( odds ratio (OR)=0.52 , 95 % confidence interval (CI)=0.32 - 0.83 , P=.006 and OR=0.61 , 95 % CI= 0.39 - 0.97 , P=.04 , respectively ) . Analysis found that this association was significant only in participants without chronic diseases ( coronary heart disease , cerebrovascular accident , cancer , Parkinson 's disease , dementia , or cognitive impairment ) at baseline . CONCLUSION Daily physical activity ( ≥0.25 mile/day ) is significantly associated with lower risk of 8-year incident depressive symptoms in elderly Japanese-American men without chronic disease at baseline Abstract The health benefits of playing football and the importance of exercise and social contact for healthy ageing are well established , but few older adults in the UK take enough exercise . Football is popular , flexible in format and draws players into engrossing , effortful and social exercise , but the physical dem and s of play at full speed may make it unsustainable for some older adults . Restricted to walking pace , will play still be engaging ? Will health benefits be retained ? Will physical dem and s remain manageable ? This pilot study aims to investigate : ( 1 ) the experience of older adults playing walking football  every week , is it sustainable and rewarding , ( 2 ) the intensity and locomotor pattern of walking football , ( 3 ) the scale and nature of walking football  health benefits and ( 4 ) possible cognitive benefits of playing walking football through measures of processing speed , selective and divided attention and updating and inhibition components of executive function .  ‘ Walking football ’ and ‘ waiting list ’ groups were compared before and after 12 weeks of one-hour per week football . Walking football was found to be engaging , sustainable for older adults and moderately intensive ; however , selective health and cognitive benefits were not found from this brief intervention . Highlights Walking football is a lower impact but authentic form of football that enables older players to extend their active participation . Walking football is enjoyable and moderately dem and ing and may be a sustainable form of exercise for older adults . Health and cognitive benefits to playing walking football were not found Background Programs to change health behaviours have been identified as one way to reduce health inequalities experienced by disadvantaged groups . The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a behaviour change programme to increase walking and reduce sedentary behaviour of adults with intellectual disabilities . Methods We used a cluster r and omised controlled design and recruited participants over 18 years old and not regularly involved in physical activity from intellectual disabilities community-based organisations . Assessment s were carried out blind to allocation . Clusters of participants were r and omly allocated to the Walk Well program or a 12-week waiting list control . Walk Well consisted of three face-to-face physical activity consultations incorporating behaviour change techniques , written re sources for participants and carers , and an individualised , structured walking programme . The primary outcome measured with accelerometers was change in mean step count per day between baseline and 12 weeks . Secondary outcomes included percentage time per day sedentary and in moderate-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , body mass index ( BMI ) , and subjective well being . Results One hundred two participants in 50 clusters were r and omised . 82 ( 80.4 % ) participants completed the primary outcome . 66.7 % of participants lived in the most deprived quintile on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation . At baseline , participants walked 4780 ( st and ard deviation 2432 ) steps per day , spent 65.5 % ( st and ard deviation 10.9 ) of time sedentary and 59 % percent had a body mass in the obesity range . After the walking programme , the difference between mean counts of the Walk Well and control group was 69.5 steps per day [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) -1054 to 1193.3 ] . There were no significant between group differences in percentage time sedentary 1.6 % ( 95 % CI −2.984 to 6.102 ) , percentage time in MVPA 0.3 % ( 95 % CI −0.7 to 1.3 ) , BMI −0.2 kg/m2 ( 95 % CI −0.8 to 0.4 ) or subjective well-being 0.3 ( 95 % CI −0.9 to 1.5 ) . Conclusions This is the first published trial of a walking program for adults with intellectual disabilities . Positively changing physical activity and sedentary behaviours may require more intensive programmes or upstream approaches to address the multiple social disadvantages experienced by adults with intellectual disabilities . Since participants spent the majority of their time sedentary , home-based programmes to reduce sitting time may be a viable health improvement approach . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT The promotion of physical activity is encouraged in people living with HIV and AIDS ( PLWHA ) as a means of promoting wellness and health . Adherence to programmes that promote exercise is often reduced , and home-based programmes are suggested to improve adherence . This study investigated the personal and environmental factors that cause barriers and facilitators of physical activity in a home-based pedometer walking programme as a means of highlighting adherence challenges . An observational study nested in a r and omised controlled trial was conducted in a cohort of South African PLWHA on antiretroviral therapy over a six-month period . Descriptive analysis and qualitative content analysis of 42 participants who underwent physical activity modification assisted with data review . The mean age of the sample was 38.7 ( ±8.9 ) years , consisted mostly of women ( n = 35 ; 83.3 % ) who were employed ( n = 19 ; 45.2 % ) but earning very little ( less than R500 per month ) and often single or widowed ( n = 23 ; 54.8 % ) . Barriers to physical activity identified included physical complaints , e.g. , low-energy levels ; psychological complaints , e.g. , stress levels ; family responsibility , e.g. , being primary caregivers ; the physical environment , e.g. , adverse weather conditions ; social environment , e.g. , domestic abuse and crime ; and workplace , e.g. , being in a sedentary job . Facilitators of physical activity included support and encouragement from friends and family , religious practice s during worship and community environment , e.g. , having access to parks and sport fields . The study is of benefit as it highlights personal and environmental factors that need to be considered when developing or implementing a home-based walking programme in PLWHA
Evidence for anxiety , psychological stress , psychological well-being , subjective well-being and social isolation and loneliness varied in volume and effectiveness , but no harmful effects were identified .
The setting and context of walking seems to be important variables .
Background / objectives Walking has well-established positive relationships with , and effects on , physical health .
In contrast , while poor mental health contributes substantially to global health burden , an overview of the benefits from walking has not previously been published .
We aim ed to scope the literature and present what is known , and highlight what is not known , about walking and mental health .