Effects of walking intensity and frequency on improving mood in older adults with depressive symptoms: A pilot study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization recommends to perform 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobictype physical activity weekly for reducing the risk of depression. However, limited longitudinal studies have examined the effects of exercise intensity and frequency of physical activity on alleviating depression. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of walking exercise under different exercise frequencies (i.e., regular exercise pattern vs. weekend warrior) and intensities (i.e., moderate-intensity vs. vigorous-intensity) on alleviating depressive mood in older adults with depressive symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-one older adults (age>=50yrs) with depressive symptoms (scored 8 or higher out of 21 in the depression subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were randomly assigned to: 1) attention control group (CON, performed one weekly session of 75 minutes of static stretching exercise for 12 weeks, n=7), 2) moderate-intensity regular walking exercise group (MOD×3/wk, attended three 50-min training section weekly for 12 weeks, n=6), 3) moderate-intensity weekend warrior walking exercise group (MOD×1/wk, attended a 150-min training sections weekly for 12 weeks, n=6), 4) vigorous-intensity regular walking exercise group (VIG×3/wk, attended three 25-min training sections weekly for 12 weeks, n=6), and 5) vigorous-intensity weekend warrior walking exercise group (VIG×1/wk, attended a 75-min training sections weekly for 12 weeks, n=6). Participants in MOD×3/wk and MOD×1/wk walked on the motor-driven treadmill at heart rate equivalent to 3.25 metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs) during training, whereas participants in VIG×3/wk and VIG×1/wk brisk walked at heart rate equivalent to 6.5 METs. Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms were measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale before and after the 12 weeks intervention. RESULTS: Depression level was significantly reduced after 12 weeks of regular walking exercise (CON -17.7% vs MOD×3/wk -54.1% and VIG×3/wk - 67.2%, p<0.01). In weekend warrior exercise groups, only vigorous exercise reduced depression level (CON vs VIG×1/wk -39.1%, p<0.05). Both regular walking exercise group showed reduced anxiety level (CON -3.4% vs MOD×3/wk -44.0% and VIG×3/wk -65.6%, p<0.01), but the decreases were not observed in the weekend warrior exercise groups. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that regular walking exercise with either moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity reduced depressive level and anxiety level among older adults with depressive symptoms. Our findings suggested that weekend warrior exercise pattern (less frequent bouts of exercise weekly) with vigorous intensity is a practical approach to improve mood.