Aerobics outscores walking in health benefits--study

Aerobics is any exercise of low, moderate to high intensity that includes swimming, cycling, dancing, and working out on treadmill and rowing machine.

The duration of such a regime may extend from 20 minutes to one hour, and the intensity and duration of exercise depends upon a person’s stamina and age.

Lead author of the study Gordon Bell, exercise physiologist in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at University of Alberta stated, "The participants in the traditional fitness program improved their fitness-based response more than those in the walking program. The magnitude of that difference in improvement was very clear."

Health benefits of walking and aerobics assessed
The focus of the study was to assess and compare the effects of aerobics fitness training and pedometer-based walking course by calculating the health benefits of both programs.

As a part of the study, the researchers enrolled 128 inactive adults, aged 27 to 65 years, free from cardiovascular and other problems.

The participants were randomly assigned to a supervised fitness program involving intense training three to four days a week.

The others wore pedometers and participated in a walking program that gradually increased steps to 10,000 per day. Although this group continued with their normal routine they were asked not to exercise.

Outcome of the study
After a period of six months all the participants exhibited significant benefits with a marked reduction in body mass, waist circumference, and lowered heart rate.

However, the aerobically active group showed improved fitness levels as opposed to those who wore pedometers.

Aerobics lowered their blood pressure by 9 percent compared to 3 percent in the walking group. Furthermore, the exercise lowered their rate of perceived exertion by 10 percent, improved peak oxygen intake by 9 percent as opposed to 3 percent in the walking group.

Additionally, the fitness group improved their ventilatory threshold (when breathing becomes more difficult as exercise becomes more intense) and peak VO2 (maximum oxygen intake) compared to walking.

Aerobics not suitable for everyone
Despite the obvious benefits of aerobics, the researchers admit the intense exercise regime may not be suitable for all.

Many may find it difficult to adhere to aerobics and prefer walking as an alternative form of exercise.

Bell stated, "Not everybody's going to be able to start in a traditional exercise program, such as those with certain health issues or type 2 diabetes because of the higher intensity, duration and frequency of exercise training that is required.

"Lifestyle and pedometer-based fitness programs make it easier to get started, as long as there are no lower limb issues or (one is not) severely overweight.

"Most people have the ability to walk and walking-based programs are easy to prescribe and progressively overload, and get people walking far enough to begin to derive health benefits from it."

However, Bell warns, "It's a long-term commitment. It seems that you need at least six months to get some health benefits from walking based programs."