Reducing blood pressure is a stroll in the park
June 3rd 2008
A team from the Department of Sport Science, Tourism and Leisure at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent have found that a gentle 30-minute walk (50% intensity) is as good at reducing hypertension as walking faster for half an hour (65% intensity) or walking for an hour at 50% intensity.
Tests were carried out on middle-aged men with borderline high-blood pressure. Andrew Scott, who led the research, told the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine the findings might help patients who found exercise unappealing: “Our study found that walking for longer than 30 minutes or at a more vigorous intensity had no additional effect on lowering blood pressure. Those who also wish to lose weight may want to exercise for a longer period of time, but it will not contribute to a further reduction of blood pressure. Ultimately, our findings support the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation that healthy adults should undertake at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on at least 5 days per week.”
(Express, p3, Victoria Fletcher, 6 col.”; Mirror, p20, 2 col.”)
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