Abstract
Background
Hiking is one of the most popular activities among the elderly in Alpine regions. Due to the long-lasting, moderately intensive nature of this form of physical activity, hiking is generally considered to be beneficial to health. However, it is currently unclear whether once-weekly hiking—as commonly practiced at weekends—really does yield such positive effects in elderly persons aged 60 years and over.
Objectives
This study investigated the effect of a single weekly mountain hiking session on cardiovascular risk factors.
Materials and methods
A 9-month mountain hiking program was completed by 14 male (age 65.6 ± 2.7 years) and 10 female (age 66.2 ± 4.4 years) elderly participants. The program consisted of a single weekly hiking session with the goal of achieving a 500-m altitude increase within 3 h. Before and after the 9-month program, an electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed and blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), high-density (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) measurements were made.
Results
The elderly participants showed a normal cardiovascular risk profile at the start of the investigation. The estimated net energy expenditure for one hiking session was approximately 521 ± 91 kcal. Over the 9-month period, no changes were found in any of the investigated parameters for the entire group. However, participants with untreated hypertension showed a reduced systolic blood pressure.
Conclusion
The present investigation showed that moderate-intensity activity only at weekends does not improve cardiovascular risk factors in elderly persons with a relatively normal cardiovascular risk profile. Conversely, elderly persons suffering from hypertension might profit from such a practice.
Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Im alpinen Raum zählt Wandern bei älteren Menschen zu den beliebtesten Aktivitäten. Aufgrund der länger andauernden, körperlichen Aktivität mit moderater Intensität werden dem Wandern positive gesundheitliche Effekte zugeschrieben. Jedoch ist unklar, ob 1-mal Wandern pro Woche, wie es häufig an den Wochenenden praktiziert wird, diese positiven Effekte hervorruft.
Ziel
Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Auswirkungen einer Wandereinheit pro Woche auf kardiovaskuläre Risikofaktoren zu untersuchen.
Material und Methoden
An dem Wanderprogramm, das sich über einen Zeitraum von 9 Monaten erstreckte, nahmen 10 weibliche (Alter: 66,2 ± 4,4 Jahre) und 14 männliche (Alter: 65,6 ± 2,7 Jahre) ältere Menschen teil. Das wöchentliche Wanderprogramm beinhaltete einen Aufstieg von 500 Höhenmetern 1-mal pro Woche innerhalb von 3 Stunden. Vor und nach den 9 Monaten wurden ein EKG aufgezeichnet, der Blutdruck gemessen und HbA1c-, HDL- und LDL-Werte bestimmt.
Ergebnisse
Zu Beginn der Untersuchung lag das kardiovaskuläre Risikoprofil der Teilnehmer durchweg im Normalbereich. Der Energieverbrauch während der Wandereinheit betrug durchschnittlich 521 ± 91 kcal. In der Gesamtgruppe konnten keine Veränderungen der erhobenen Risikoparameter gefunden werden. Jedoch zeigte sich, dass Teilnehmer mit unbehandeltem Bluthochdruck eine Reduktion des systolischen Blutdrucks erfuhren.
Schlussfolgerung
Bei älteren Personen mit einem relativ normalen kardiovaskulären Risikoprofil dürfte Bergwandern, an einem Tag in der Woche, keinen Effekt auf kardiovaskuläre Risikofaktoren haben. Andererseits zeigte sich, dass ältere Personen mit Bluthochdruck von den wöchentlichen Wandereinheiten profitieren können.
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Compliance with ethical guidelines
Conflict of interest. H. Gatterer, C. Raab, S. Pramsohler, M. Faulhaber, M. Burtscher and N. Netzer state that there are no conflicts of interest. All studies on humans described in the present manuscript were carried out with the approval of the responsible ethics committee and in accordance with national law and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 (in its current, revised form). Informed consent was obtained from all patients included in studies.
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Gatterer, H., Raab, C., Pramsohler, S. et al. Effect of weekly hiking on cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly. Z Gerontol Geriat 48, 150–153 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-014-0622-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-014-0622-0