BRISK WALKING AND SERUM-LIPOPROTEIN VARIABLES IN FORMERLY SEDENTARY MEN AGED 42-59 YEARS

1. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of brisk wal king on serum lipoprotein variables. 2. Seventy-two apparently healthy but physically inactive men (aged 42-59 years) were recruited. These men were normotensive non-smokers without a history of dyslipidaemia. Subjects were randomly allocated on a 2 to 1 basis into either a walki ng group (n = 48) or a control group (n = 24). Walkers followed a self -monitored programme of brisk walking for 1 year, whereas control subj ects maintained their habitual lifestyle. 3. Treadmill walking tests w ere conducted to examine changes in fitness. Concentrations of serum l ipids and lipoproteins were determined in fasting subjects. The amount of body fat was measured by body density. Circumferences at the waist and hip and skinfold thicknesses were used to determine the distribut ion of body fat. Dietary intakes were assessed by weighed food invento ries. 4. Seven subjects (six walkers and one control subject) dropped out during the study. Walkers did an average of 28 (SEM 1.4; n = 42) m in of brisk walking/day. This improved endurance fitness but did not i nfluence serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipop rotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, apolipoprotein A-1, apolipoprotei n B or lipoprotein (a). Neither body mass nor the amount of body fat c hanged, relative to control subjects. 5. These data suggest that brisk walking does not modify lipoprotein metabolism in normolipidaemic mid dle-aged men.