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PubMed2003

Physical activity in relation to cardiovascular disease and total mortality among men with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to examine the relationship of physical activity with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among men with type 2 diabetes. CVD risk and mortality are increased in type 2 diabetes. Few epidemiological studies have investigated the effect of physical activity on these outcomes among type 2 diabetics. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of the 3058 men who reported a diagnosis of diabetes at age 30 years or older in the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study (HPFS), we excluded 255 who reported a physical impairment. In the remaining 2803 men, physical activity was assessed every 2 years; 266 new cases of CVD and 355 deaths of all causes were identified during 14 years of follow-up. Relative risks of CVD and death were estimated from Cox proportional hazards analysis with adjustment for potential confounders. The multivariate relative risks of CVD incidence corresponding to quintiles of total physical activity were 1.0, 0.87, 0.64, 0.72, and 0.67 (Ptrend=0.07). The corresponding multivariate relative risks for total mortality were 1.0, 0.80, 0.57, 0.58, and 0.58 (Ptrend=0.005). Walking was associated with reduced risk of total mortality. Relative risks across quintiles of walking were 1.0, 0.97, 0.87, 0.97, and 0.57 (Ptrend=0.002). Walking pace was inversely associated with CVD, fatal CVD, and total mortality independently of walking hours. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity was associated with reduced risk of CVD, cardiovascular death, and total mortality in men with type 2 diabetes. Walking and walking pace were associated with reduced total mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

A bi-directional Mendelian randomization study of sarcopenia-related traits and renal function.

The association between sarcopenia and renal function has been reported in observational studies; however, the directionality and potential causal nature of these associations remain uncertain. We assessed whether genetically predicted sarcopenia-related traits are associated with renal function and vice versa using bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR). We conducted a bidirectional two-sample MR analysis using publicly available European-ancestry GWAS summary statistics for appendicular lean mass (ALM), hand-grip strength (left and right), and walking pace, and for renal function (cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFRcystatin C] and urinary albumin excretion [UAE]). Causal estimates were primarily obtained using inverse-variance weighted (IVW) models, complemented by sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger intercept, weighted median/mode, MR-PRESSO, Radial MR, and leave-one-out). In forward MR, genetically predicted walking pace was positively associated with eGFRcystatin C. Genetically predicted ALM and grip strength (right and left) were inversely associated with UAE. In reverse MR, genetically predicted UAE was inversely associated with ALM and right-hand grip strength. Estimates were broadly consistent across sensitivity analyses, and outlier-robust analyses (MR-PRESSO/Radial MR) yielded similar results. These findings provide genetic evidence consistent with bidirectional relationships between sarcopenia-related traits and renal function (particularly UAE), under standard MR assumptions. Given potential limitations (e.g., heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and possible sample overlap), the results should be interpreted cautiously and complemented by other lines of evidence.

Humans↗
PubMed2003

Tracmor system for measuring walking energy expenditure.

OBJECTIVE: Walking is an important mode of exercise and is likely to represent a major component of nonexercise activity thermogenesis. The question arises, how best to quantify walking-energy expenditure (EE) in free-living individuals. The triaxial accelerometer for movement registration (Tracmor) is a valid measure of body displacement and so we wanted to evaluate this tool for quantifying walking-EE. HYPOTHESIS: In this study, we test the hypothesis that walking-EE, measured in a Room Calorimeter, can be predicted from Tracmor output using a regression equation derived from a brief Tracmor/treadmill/Metabolic Cart protocol. DESIGN: First, 11 healthy subjects completed a 40-min procedure whereby they wore a Tracmor unit and walked on a treadmill at 0, 1, 2 and 3 mph while EE was measured using a Metabolic Cart. This allowed a regression equation to be defined for each subject to convert Tracmor output to EE. Each subject then entered a Room Calorimeter wearing the Tracmor Unit and walked at two self-selected velocities ('slow', 'fast') while EE was measured. 'Tracmor/regression equation' predictions of walking-EE were compared with Room Calorimeter measurements of walking-EE for the two velocities. RESULTS: The 'Tracmor/regression equation' prediction of EE for walking slowly was 6.36+/-1.67 kJ/min, and for walking fast it was 11.0+/-2.60 kJ/min. Room Calorimeter measurements were 6.43+/-1.85 and 10.9+/-3.03 kJ/min, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for slow-paced walking was 0.93 (P<0.001), and for fast-paced walking it was 0.82 (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: When combined with laboratory measures of EE, the Tracmor accelerometer provides useful data on walking-EE and is applicable to free-living individuals.

Acceleration↗
PubMed2003

Effect of monitor placement and of activity setting on the MTI accelerometer output.

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of monitor placement (hip vs back) and of activity setting (treadmill vs track) on the output from the Manufacturing Technology Inc. (MTI), activity monitor (model WAM 7164). METHODS: In a laboratory study, 28 subjects (14 men, 14 women) walked at a normal pace, walked at a fast pace, and jogged at a comfortable pace on an indoor track. These activities were repeated on a treadmill using the individual speeds from the track locomotion. Oxygen uptake was measured simultaneously using a portable metabolic system. One activity monitor was worn on the hip and one on the lower back. In a field study, 34 subjects (18 men, 16 women) each wore two monitors (hip and low back placement) for seven consecutive days. In the laboratory study, ANOVA showed significant effects of placement ( P = 0.009) and setting ( P < 0.001), indicating that activity counts differ between different body sites and different settings (track vs treadmill). Gross energy expenditure predictive equations were developed and thereafter evaluated in the field study. Time spent at moderate and vigorous intensity of physical activity was 38% and 85% ( P < 0.001) higher when calculated from the treadmill-based equations as compared to the track-based equations. Free-living physical activity estimates were not affected by the placement. CONCLUSION: The relationship between activity counts and energy expenditure during laboratory locomotion is placement and setting-specific. When habitual physical activity is assessed in free-living subjects, the treadmill derived relationship between energy expenditure and activity counts may overestimate time spent at moderate intensity of physical activity, whereas the placement of the monitor does not influence on the interpretation of the data.

Adult↗
PubMed2025

Polygenic Associations between Motor Behaviour, Neuromotor Traits, and Active Music Engagement in Four Cohorts.

Phenotypic investigations have shown that actively engaging with music, i.e., playing a musical instrument or singing may be protective of motor decline in aging. For example, music training associated with enhanced sensorimotor skills accompanied by changes in brain structure and function. Although it is possible that the benefits of active music engagement "transfer" to benefits in the motor domain, it is also possible that the genetic architecture of motor behaviour and the motor system structure may influence active music engagement. This study investigated whether polygenic scores (PGS) for five behavioural motor traits, 12 neuromotor structural brain traits, and seven rates of change in brain structure traits trained from existing discovery genome-wide association studies (GWAS) predict active music engagement outcomes in four independent cohorts of unrelated individuals of European ancestry: the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA; N=22,198), Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS; N=4,605), Vanderbilt's BioVU Repository (BioVU; N=6,150), and Vanderbilt's Online Musicality study (OM; N=1,559). Results were meta-analyzed for each PGS main effect across outcomes and cohorts, revealing that PGS for a faster walking pace was associated with higher amounts of active music engagement. Within CLSA, a higher PGS for walking pace was associated with greater odds of engaging with music. Findings suggest a shared genetic architecture between motor function and active music engagement. Future intervention-based research should consider the genetic underpinnings of motor behavior when evaluating the effects of music engagement on motor function across the lifespan.

BioVU↗
PubMed1996

A walking program for nursing home residents: effects on walk endurance, physical activity, mobility, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of a 12-week walking program on walk endurance capacity, physical activity level, mobility, and quality of life in ambulatory nursing home residents who had been identified as having low physical activity levels and low walk endurance capacities. To determine the effects of 12 versus 22 weeks of walk training on walk endurance capacity, physical activity level, mobility, and quality of life in ambulatory nursing home residents. DESIGN: Experiment 1: Residents of one nursing home campus were assigned to the walking program, and residents of a second campus were assigned to the social visit control group. Outcome measures were taken before and after 12 weeks. Experiment 2: Pretest/posttest with outcome measures taken before and, again, after 12 and 22 weeks of walking. SETTING: Two campuses of the Jewish Homes for the Aging in the Los Angeles area. PARTICIPANTS: Experiment 1: Nineteen of 22 residents in the walking group completed the walking program, and 12 of 15 residents in the control group completed the study. Experiment 2: Thirty of 41 residents (from the two nursing homes) completed the 22-week walking program. INTERVENTION: Experiment 1: The walking program involved each resident walking with research staff at his/her self-selected walking pace, 5 days per week for 12 weeks, for a maximum of 30 minutes per day; while the control group had weekly individual social visits, which lasted 30 minutes, from a research assistant. Experiment 2: All residents, those in both the walking and the control group, were offered the opportunity to complete 22 weeks of walking. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maximal walk endurance capacity, the resident's maximum walk time performed in a single day of walking (distance and speed also were measured); physical activity level based on time-sampled observations and physical activity monitors; mobility as measured with the Timed-Up-and-Go test, left handgrip strength, and Tinetti's Mobility Assessment; and quality of life as assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale (a bodily pain scale) and the Dartmouth Primary Care Cooperative Information Project (COOP) physical work chart. RESULTS: Experiment 1: The walking group significantly improved their maximal walk endurance time by 77% and distance by 92%, with no significant change in walk speed; however, the control group showed no significant changes in these variables. There were no significant group by time interactions on measures of physical activity, mobility, and quality of life. Experiment 2: No further significant changes were found from 12 to 22 weeks in walk endurance capacity, physical activity, mobility, or quality of life. CONCLUSION: Twelve weeks of daily walking at a self-selected walking pace by ambulatory nursing home residents produced significant improvements in walk endurance capacity. No other significant changes were noted in physical activity level, mobility, or quality of life in either group after the intervention. Also, there were no side effects, such as increases in falls or cardiovascular complications, due to the walking intervention. Lengthening the walking program to 22 weeks produced no further significant changes in any outcome measures.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Gait and function in patients with a femoral endoprosthesis after tumor resection: 18 patients evaluated 12 years after surgery.

We performed gait analysis in 18 patients with a femoral endoprosthesis: 12 distal, 3 proximal and 3 total. Follow-up after surgery was mean 12 (0.6-19) years. The gait parameters measured were walking velocity, step length, duration of stance phase and swing phase. Goniometry of the hip, knee and ankle in both legs was determined during free-paced walking. The functional outcome score of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) and the Ambulation score were also assessed in all patients. The mean free-paced walking velocity was 88% of normal. The step length of the uninvolved leg was longer than that of the involved one. The swing phase of the involved leg was longer than that of the uninvolved leg, and the stance phase of the involved leg was shorter than that of the uninvolved leg. Goniometry showed three abnormal patterns in the involved leg: a stiff knee gait in 10 patients, a flexed knee gait in 6, and an abnormal flexion-extension pattern in the hip in 9. Goniometry of the uninvolved leg was normal. The mean MSTS score was 22 points (72%). This showed a significant positive correlation to the Ambulation score, but no correlation to any of the temporal variables. Our findings indicate that the time of load on the involved leg, whether conscious or not, is reduced. Follow-up studies are needed to evaluate the effects of the asymmetrical gait pattern observed and the abnormal goniometric results on the development of endoprosthesis-related complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Exercise dynamics at submaximal workloads in patients with chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between exercise at self-selected work loads and peak exercise performance in patients with chronic heart failure and to analyze possible relationships between gait pattern and exercise performance and ventilatory response to exercise in chronic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twelve patients with stable chronic heart failure and 10 age- and build-matched control subjects undertook symptom-limited maximal exercise testing with metabolic gas exchange measurements to determine peak oxygen consumption (VO2) and the slope of the relationship between ventilation and carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2 slope). Respiratory rate was also determined. Self-selected walking pace and cadence (steps per minute) were determined. Metabolic gas exchange analysis was repeated at matched low-level exercise and at self-selected walking pace. Self-selected exercise was at a lower speed for patients than control subjects (1.28 [0.22] vs 1.43 [0.19] m s-1), representing a similar proportion of peak oxygen consumption (63.6 [19.3]% vs 56.7 [25.4]%). There was a relationship between peak VO2 and VO2 at self-selected workload (r = .55, P < .001) and self-selected walking velocity (r = .58, P < .005). Gait analysis demonstrated that the reduction in self-selected velocity in heart failure patients was due to a reduced cadence (101.5 [8.7] steps/min vs 110.2 [9.1] steps/min, P < .01), not a reduction in stride length. There was a negative relationship between VE/VCO2 slope and self-selected cadence (r = -.68, P < .001) and a negative correlation between respiratory rate and cadence at self-selected workload (r = -.6, P < .005). CONCLUSIONS: Self-selected walking speed is at the same proportion of peak oxygen consumption in patients with heart failure as compared with control subjects, but a lower absolute level. Patients have the same stride length as normal control subjects. Ventilation is increased in patients, but there is no direct relationship between ventilation and gait.

Exercise Test↗
PubMed1979

The physiological cost of carrying light and heavy loads.

Nine subjects walked on a treadmill with load weights equal to 10% and 40% of body weight carried on the back. Although the speed of the treadmill was selected so that the measured oxygen consumption (VO2) was the same for both load conditions, the heavier load placed an extra strain on the cardiopulmonary system and was perceived by all subjects as harder work than the lighter load. When the subjects worked at their own pace, walking on a level road or climbing stairs with load weights equal to 10% and 40% of body weight, they compensated for the heavier load by decreasing walking speed or climbing rate. Although the energy costs calculated from walking speed, body and load weight for self-paced walking and the external work of stair climbing were the same for both load conditions, the heavier load was again perceived as harder work. These findings are discussed as they relate to the definition of acceptable load weights.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Functional ability perceived by individuals following total knee arthroplasty compared to age-matched individuals without knee disability.

A comparison of function of individuals 1 year after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with healthy control subjects (controls) meaningfully describes outcome in these patients. Perception of function measured by two questionnaires, the Lower Extremity Activity Profile (LEAP) and the Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and walking and stair performance was compared between 29 patients, 1 year after TKA, and 40 controls. There was significantly greater perceived difficulty with function in patients with TKA than in controls. In TKA men, LEAP and WOMAC scores correlated respectively with self-paced walk speed (r = -.71 and -.55) and stair performance time (r = 0.70 and 0.68). In TKA women, LEAP difficulty score correlated with self-paced walk speed (r = -.41) and stair performance time (r = -0.71). By 1 year, TKA subjects regained 80% of the function of controls. Perception of function after TKA can be measured by either questionnaire in men; however, the LEAP is the preferable questionnaire with women.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

The contribution of psychological features to the symptoms of treated hypertensive patients.

Twenty-seven symptoms of 859 treated hypertensive patients were evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire and correlated with the depression (DEP), free-floating anxiety (FFA), phobic anxiety (PHO), obsessionality (OBS) and extraversion (HYS) scores of the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire. The psychological features were associated with 24 of the 27 symptoms, and the extent to which these measurements determined the presence of a symptom was calculated. DEP and FFA were correlated with most of the symptoms, PHO with weak limbs, blurred vision, slow walking pace, nocturia and a lessened interest in sex. HYS was positively associated with the frequency of sexual intercourse in men and negatively with complaints of dyspnoea, tingling in the limbs and a slow walking pace. OBS was only associated with diarrhoea.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Neonatal bone mass: influence of parental birthweight, maternal smoking, body composition, and activity during pregnancy.

Evidence is accumulating that intrauterine growth and development may influence an individual's risk of osteoporosis in later adult life. To examine maternal and paternal influences on intrauterine skeletal growth, we used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure the neonatal bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of 145 infants born at term. Independently of the infant's duration of gestation at birth, the birthweights of both parents and the height of the father were positively correlated with neonatal whole body BMC. Women who smoked during pregnancy had infants with a lower whole body BMC and BMD; overall, there was a 7.1-g (11%) average difference between whole body BMC of infants whose mothers did and did not smoke during pregnancy (p = 0.005). Women with thinner triceps skinfold thicknesses (reflecting lower fat stores) and those who reported a faster walking pace and more frequent vigorous activity in late pregnancy also tended to have infants with a lower BMC and BMD (p values for BMC; 0.02, 0.03, and 0.05, respectively). Maternal thinness and faster walking pace but not maternal smoking or parental birthweight also were associated with lower bone mineral apparent density (BMAD). The influences on skeletal growth and mineralization were independent of placental weight, a marker of the placental capacity to deliver nutrients to the fetus. These observations point to a combination of genetic and intrauterine environmental influences on prenatal skeletal development and suggest that environmental modulation, even at this early stage of life, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2026

Genetically Predicted Muscle Mass and Function in Relation to Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Two-step Mendelian Randomization Study Highlighting the Mediating Role of BMI.

BackgroundSarcopenia is observationally linked to venous thromboembolism, but the causal architecture and underlying biological pathways remain largely unclear. This study investigated the causal effects of sarcopenia-related traits on lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and quantified potential mediating mechanisms.MethodsWe performed two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) and two-step mediation MR using large-scale GWAS data from UK Biobank, EMBL-EBI, and FinnGen. Exposures included appendicular lean mass (ALM), leg fat-free mass (LFM), hand grip strength, and walking pace. Eighteen candidate mediators were screened for indirect pathways.ResultsGenetically predicted higher ALM was significantly associated with increased DVT risk (FinnGen: OR = 1.288, 95% CI: 1.215-1.365, P < 0.001). Similar positive associations were observed for LFM (OR = 1.920-1.954, P < 0.001). By contrast, muscle functional traits - grip strength and walking pace - demonstrated no consistent causal effects. Reverse MR confirmed a unidirectional relationship. Body mass index (BMI) emerged as a pivotal mediator, accounting for 7.58% - 10.50% of the ALM-DVT effect and 52.74% - 62.73% of the LFM-DVT effect. Notably, the independent effect of ALM was largely attenuated after adjusting for metabolic confounders in multivariable MR.ConclusionGenetic predisposition to high muscle mass, rather than functional strength, increases DVT risk. This relationship appears to be significantly driven by metabolic adiposity, suggesting that the "muscle-vascular-coagulation" interaction is partly explained by body-size-related metabolic burden. Risk stratification should integrate muscle mass evaluation with comprehensive metabolic health assessments.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

Usefulness of a branching treadmill protocol for evaluation of cardiac functional capacity.

A branching treadmill protocol was designed to measure functional capacity in patients with low work capacity and varying ability to walk at speeds used in traditional protocols. A comfortable walking pace is first selected (2.0 to 3.5 mph, 0.25 mph increments) and the workload is then increased every 2 minutes in 1 MET increments (a multiple of the resting oxygen uptake [1 MET = 3.5 ml O2/kg/min]) by adjusting grade. Nine trained (maximal MET = 7.6 +/- 1.6, mean +/- standard deviation) male subjects (age 59 +/- 7 years) with previous myocardial infarction and 9 trained (maximal MET = 11.7 +/- 2.5) male control subjects (age 56 +/- 8 years) completed submaximal and maximal workloads without handrail support. The measured oxygen consumption, volume of oxygen in ml/kg/min (VO2), was compared with the predicted VO2 cost of treadmill walking calculated from speed and grade. A linear regression analysis of predicted versus measured VO2 was performed. There were no significant differences between myocardial infarction and control regression lines. Therefore, a simplified prediction equation for estimated VO2 in myocardial infarction and control subjects is proposed. Overall VO2 prediction = 1.61 + 0.99 x. The main advantage of the branching protocol format is the selection of a stable, brisk walking pace compatible with age and gait, which may improve mechanical efficiency through impedance matching. The protocol is adaptable enough in design so that most patients can complete the exercise test without use of handrails, which is essential for an accurate estimate of VO2 from treadmill speed and grade.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Physical activity and cause-specific mortality in men with Type 2 diabetes/impaired glucose tolerance: evidence from the Whitehall study.

AIMS: Given that studies of individuals with Type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance indicate that physical activity has a normalizing effect on several indices of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk-including body weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, and cardiorespiratory fitness-it is plausible that activity may reduce CHD incidence in this group in the long term. The aim of the present analysis was to explore this hypothesis using data from a prospective observational study. METHODS: We examined the relation of two indices of physical activity-walking pace and leisure activity-to total mortality, CHD, and other cardiovascular diseases in a 25-year follow-up of 6408 male British Civil Servants who underwent an oral glucose tolerance test at study entry. RESULTS: In 352 men who were identified as having Type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (diabetes/IGT) at baseline, 215 had died at follow-up and, in 6056 normoglycaemics, 2550 deaths had occurred. The two indices of physical activity were inversely related to all-cause, CHD, and other cardiovascular disease mortality in both normoglycaemics and in men with diabetes/IGT. Although these associations were attenuated somewhat after statistical adjustment for a range of covariates, the majority held, suggesting an independent effect for physical activity. The gradient of the activity-mortality association was steeper in individuals with diabetes/IGT in comparison with the normoglycaemics, with the linear trend across activity levels for CHD risk differing markedly in the analyses of both walking pace (P-value for interaction test = 0.05) and leisure activity (P-value = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present analysis of men with Type 2 diabetes/IGT provide support for those from a small number of other studies of persons with Type 2 diabetes suggesting that this group may benefit from physical activity in terms of CHD risk reduction.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Walking while using a sensory tactile feedback system: potential use with a functional electrical stimulation orthosis.

A major limitation in the utilization of a functional electrical stimulation (FES) orthosis for routine, daily standing and walking of the spinal-cord-injured person is that visual monitoring is required to maintain balance and the walking pace. For standing and walking to be continuous and automatic with such an orthosis, a closed-loop sensory feedback system is proposed and evaluated; it provides vibrotactile feedback as a substitute to one's own visual sensation. Eight blindfolded experimental subjects were utilized as 'imitators' to interpret the footfalls of a second person (the pace setter). The experimental objective was to test the hypothesis that sufficient information could be transferred by way of the sensory (tactile) feedback system to the 'imitator' and to determine effectively foot position and anticipate the next step of the pacesetter. Quantitative analysis evaluated the effect of three different levels of training, under two different levels of cognitive load. The results disclosed a significant improvement in subject performance at the higher training levels compared with the 'no training' level (P = 0.01). Neither the cognitive load nor the interaction of training and cognitive load altered significantly the effect of training on subject performance. The experimental hypothesis is therefore satisfied that sufficient information was indeed transferred using the apparatus described. Such information (when utilized in conjunction with a thorough training programme) could be used in a practical sense by a paraplegic individual to interpret his own foot steps. Through continued use and training, it is likely that this information could become subconscious and automatic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Locomotor strategies in obese and non-obese children.

OBJECTIVE: The constant strain in obese children may increase the risks of articular problems in adulthood. In the short term, obesity in children could lead to modifications of the gait pattern. The purpose of this study was to compare biomechanical parameters between obese and non-obese children during self-paced walking. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Gait analysis was performed on 10 non-obese and 10 obese (body weight > 95th percentile) children between 8 and 13 years of age. Subjects were asked to walk at their own pace on a 10-m walkway with two embedded AMTI force plates (Advanced Mechanical Technology, Watertown, MA) sampling at 960 Hz. Kinematics were captured with eight VICON optoelectronic cameras (Oxford Metrics Limited, Oxford, United Kingdom) recording at 60 Hz. RESULTS: Obese children modified their hip motor pattern by shifting from extensor to flexor moment earlier in the gait cycle. This led obese children to significantly decrease the mechanical work done by the hip extensors during weight acceptance and significantly increase the mechanical work done by the hip flexors compared with non-obese children. The ratio of power-absorption-by-hip-flexors to power-generation-by-hip-flexors was also significantly increased in the obese group compared with non-obese children. Finally, there was a significant decrease in the single support duration in the obese group compared with non-obese. DISCUSSION: The kinetics analyzed showed that obese children could take advantage of a passive hip strategy to achieve forward progression during walking. However, considering that they are mechanically less efficient to transfer energy, walking at a natural cadence should be an appropriate exercise to reduce weight in obese children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The energy cost of household and garden activities in 55- to 65-year-old males.

This study measured the energy expenditure of four self-paced household and garden tasks to determine whether 55- to 65-year-old men performed them at a moderate intensity [3-6 metabolic equivalents (METs)] and to predict the activity intensity via indirect methods. Resting metabolic rate and oxygen consumption were measured using Douglas bags in 50 men (X +/- SD: 60.6 +/-3.2 years, 175.8 +/- 5.6 cm, 82.6 +/- 10.1 kg ) who performed self-perceived moderate paced walking and self-paced sweeping, window cleaning, vacuuming and lawn mowing. Heart rate, CSA accelerometer counts (hip and arm), Quetelet's index, Borg rating of perceived exertion and respiratory frequency were measured as possible predictors of energy expenditure. Each of the four household and garden activities was performed at a mean intensity of > or = 3.0 METs in both the standardised laboratory environment (sweeping = 3.4, window cleaning = 3.8, vacuuming = 3.0 and lawn mowing = 5.3 METs) and the subjects' homes (sweeping = 4.1, window cleaning = 3.5, vacuuming = 3.6 and lawn mowing = 5.0 METs). Comparisons between the two settings were significantly different (p < or =0.008). Except for window cleaning, the MET values were not different from those of our previous younger sample (35-45 years). Regression analysis yielded prediction equations with 95% confidence intervals of +/-0.8 METs for both the laboratory and home environments. Although the energy expenditure means for these activities indicate that they can contribute to the 30 min day(-1) of moderate intensity physical activity required to confer health benefits, there was substantial inter-individual variability. While the regression equations lack predictive precision at the individual level, they were able to determine whether energy expenditure was above the 3.0 MET threshold with correct classification rates of 91% and 94% in the laboratory and home, respectively.

Aged↗