Effect of Steady Walking Steps and Increasing Steps on Body Composition in Overweight Participants - ผลการเดินแบบจำนวนก้าวคงที่และการเดินแบบเพิ่มจำนวนก้าวต่อองค์ประกอบของร่างกายในผู้ทีมีภาวะน้ำหนักเกิน

Abstract

            The study aimed to compare the effect of increasing step and steady walking steps (approximately  10,000 steps a day) groups on body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (%BF), waist circumference (WC) and waist hip ratio (WHR) in overweight sedentary participants. Participants were recruited from students at Thammasat University. Individuals who had a sedentary lifestyle, aged 18-25 and BMI > 25 kg per m2 were randomized into three groups: (1) the control, (2) increasing steps and (3) steady walking steps (approximately 10,000 steps a day). The BMI, %BF, WC and WHR were measured initially before and after the 6-week intervention. The results found that, during the walking intervention, 30 individuals who completed (10 participants for each groups) were not significantly different in BMI and %BF among the three groups. However, 10 individuals who had the steady walking steps (approximately 10,000 steps a day) had a significantly lower %BF (-1.57%) compared with measurement prior to the study program (p<0.05). Therefore, an increased physical activity by the steady walking steps (approximately 10,000 steps a day) resulted in decreased %BF.
Key words: physical activity, body composition, walking, overweight, sedentary life style