COMBINING EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION & A PEDOMETER-BASE PROGRAM TO REDUCE CVD RISK FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. A majority of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease are modifiable through drug therapy, diet, and exercise. Purpose: To determine if the student-run stress testing and exercise prescription program 1) resulted in subsequent lifestyle changes and in reduced CVD risk, 2) if the addition of pedometer-base exercise prescription in conjunction with weekly phone calls added to the student prescription would differentially reduce CVD risk, and 3) to determine if either of these interventions in middle-aged adults improves quality of life (QOL). Methods: Forty-two participants (21 males, 21 females) were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups received individualized exercise prescription interventions designed from a student-led 12-lead ECG exercise stress test, strength testing, body composition testing, and flexibility testing. One-half of the participants additionally received a pedometer-base program (PBP) that tracked daily step totals and included a weekly phone call. Results: In the 19 participants who completed the 6 month study, overall HDL cholesterol increased (54.6 to 62.8 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol decreased (121.5 to 104.2 mg/dL), and resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased (126.7-120.2 mmHg) at an alpha level of < 0.05. Heart rate, body mass index, fasted blood glucose, and rating of perceived exertion did not significantly change from baseline values (p < 0.05). Subjects reported improvements in physical limitations, emotional well-being, and overall QOL was improved (p < 0.05). There were some differences between the two exercise interventions, but the small sample size who completed the testing limited the power of the analysis. Conclusion: Blood lipids, resting SBP, and QOL were significantly improved. The improvements in cardiac risk profiles, QOL, and participant evaluation forms suggest that positive lifestyle changes were made as a result of the intervention.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Montana

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Ralston, Bret James

• body mass index
• cardiovascular disease
• electrocardiogram
• fasted blood glucose
• high-density lipoprotein
• individualized exercise prescription
• low-density lipoprotein
• pedometer-base program
• quality of life
• rating of perceived exertion
• systolic bloo

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/209

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.umt.edu:etd-1228