Fast
and Steady Walking Wins
the Calories Burning Race
NEW YORK (Reuters
Health) - Everyone agrees with the public health messages that
call for regular, moderate exercise. However, the best way for
the average couch potato to exercise is as clear as mud. Now results
from a small study suggest that ideally, daily exercise should
come in one steady dose, instead of 10 minutes here and there.
In a study
of 30 middle-aged women, researchers found that walking briskly
for 30 minutes straight burned more calories compared with taking
three 10-minute walks throughout the day. The calorie difference
could amount to losing roughly 5 pounds per year, the authors
report in the January issue of Medicine & Science in Sports &
Exercise.
Dr. Janet
E. Fulton of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta, Georgia, led the study. Fulton's team measured the women's
calorie expenditure over 3 days: one in which they walked briskly
for 30 minutes; another in which the exercise was broken into
three 10-minute walks; and one day of rest.
The investigators
found that continuous walking burned about 60 more calories per
day than ``intermittent'' walking. While the difference may seem
small, according to the researchers it can translate into a significant
difference in weight over time--assuming calorie intake remains
the same.
When it comes
to public health recommendations for exercise, Americans hear
conflicting messages. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)
tell healthy adults to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate
exercise on most days. But other experts advocate moderate-to-intense
activity for 20 to 60 minutes straight, 3 to 5 days per week.
The NIH recommendations
stem in part from the belief that inactive people may be more
likely to take up short bouts of exercise, according to Fulton.
And, she noted in an interview with Reuters Health, some exercise
is better than none. For instance, some studies have shown that
brief periods of activity may improve heart health.
But, generally,
according to Fulton, short bursts of activity should be just a
stepping stone to more steady activity.
SOURCE:
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2001;33:163-170.
Reference Source 89
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