Abstract

Aging is associated with visible and sometimes dramatic changes in the physical body. Body mass, free fat mass, and endurance decline, and body fat increase with advancing age. Acute exercise has been shown to improve these physiological age dependent changes. Physical exercise might be expected to influent the older subject body composition and thus may improve the predispositions for exercise and may contribute to independence of seniors. Dynamic work of endurance character like running, walking, swimming and cycling requires the movement of large muscle masses and requires a high blood flow and increased cardiac output. From these activities the walking is probably the most easily accessible, and often underestimated as a way to increase a subject´s overall level of fitness and/or for moving rehabilitation in non-trained subjects or in selected groups of patients. The person´s adaptation to walking ist the highest from the all form of physical exercise which may be used for these goals. The aim of this study was to verify the moving programme based on walking for influence of body composition and aerobic fitness in women seniors. The walking at a level of 50 to 70 % VO2max (HR ranged from 65 to 85 % of HRmax) was used in a group of senior women (n=28, age= 68.7 + 5.0 years, body mass = 69.9 + 7.9 kg, height = 161.0+2.8, body fat = 37.5+5.1, VO2max.kg1= 25.9.1+4.0ml.kg1.min1). The duration of one exercise session ranged from 30 to 70 min, and was performed 3-5 times a week. The total time of walking exercise per week ranged from 90 to 250 min. The energy output of realised walking activities ranged from 640 kcal (2675 kJ) to 1780 (7740 kJ) [mean 950 + 230 kcal - 3970 + 960 kJ] per week. After 12 months of training, the body mass was not altered, body fat was practically constant, and body cell mass was significantly increased (10+2.7% - p <0.01). Maximal oxygen uptake increased significantly by 8+3.3%(p<0.01) of initial value. Similarly as in maximal oxygen uptake was significantly increased the physical performance in 1600 m walking test 7.8+2.5% (p<0.01) of starting value. According to above presented data we may conclude that exercise with total energy content of 900 kcal (3760 kJ) during a week may be enough for reduction of age dependent changes in body composition, aerobic fitness and physical performance in senior women. Verf.-Referat