METABOLIC RESPONSES TO A SELF-PACED HALF-MILE WALK TEST IN OLDER ADULTS AFTER TEN YEARS:

PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to compare the metabolic stress of a half-mile walk test incorporated in the AAHPERD Functional Fitness Assessment (1990) for older adults after ten years. METHODS Twelve subjects completed a self-paced half-mile walk on an indoor track (IT) and during a treadmill simulation (TS) of the track walk in 1990 (T1) and 2000 (T2). The TS used the average velocity calculated from IT walk time. During the TS, physiological variables were monitored continuously and values recorded every 30 sec. Values reported during the TS were compared using repeated measures ANOVA. Means ± SD for age, height, and weight for T1 and T2, respectively, were: 65.0±3.8 and 76.7±3.6 yrs; 165.6±9.9 and 163.8±10.4 cm; and 72.4±10.3 and 74.1±10.9 kg. RESULTS Significant differences (p < .01) were found between T1 and T2 for IT walk time (471.3±41.7 vs 556.5±60.8 s), TS velocity (102.6±10.0 vs 85.4±7.2 m/min), diastolic blood pressure (77±7 vs 85±9 mm Hg), and respiratory exchange ratio (1.07±.09 vs 0.97±.07). No significant differences were found between T1 and T2 for heart rate, oxygen uptake, ventilation, systolic blood pressure, and rating of perceived exertion values. Mean heart rate values indicated that exercise was completed at a higher percentage of estimated maximal heart rate at T2 (128 b/min and 91%) compared to T1 (127 b/min and 84%). CONCLUSION Older adults selected a pace that stressed their cardiorespiratory systems without experiencing severe fatigue or medical complications, and produced metabolic responses similar to values reported ten years earlier.