Walking football for men and women 60+: a 12-week non-controlled intervention affects health parametersShow others and affiliations
2025 (English)In: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, ISSN 0270-1367, E-ISSN 2168-3824, Vol. 96, no 3, p. 532-544Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The aim of the study was to examine physiological and cardiometabolic effects of 12 weeks of walking football (played 2 × 20 min) in physically inactive older adults. Thirty-three volunteers completed the study (men n = 11, women n = 22) were enrolled with a mean age of 74.0 ± 5.7 years. Baseline tests included blood pressure, waist circumference, body composition, blood samples, balance, estimated VO2max, mobility, grip strength and vertical jump height. Grip strength was significantly higher at the posttest (32.7 ± 7.8 kg vs. 30.7 ± 7.7 kg (p <.005)), and the walking/turning speed was faster making the time to complete the Timed Up and Go test significant shorter at the posttest (6.07 ± 1.0 s vs. 6.87 ± 1.0 s (p <.001)). Waist circumference was lower at the posttest (91.8 ± 13.3 cm vs. 93.9 ± 13.9 cm (p <.001)). HDL-cholesterol was significantly higher at posttest (2.19 ± 1.36 mmol/L vs. 1.98 ± 0.89 mmol/L (p <.005)). HbA1c significantly decreased posttest (39 ± 1.2 mmol/mol vs. 38 ± 5.8 mmol/mol (p <.028)). Walking football for older adults is associated with positive changes in cardiometabolic and physiological variables.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2025. Vol. 96, no 3, p. 532-544
Keywords [en]
Ageing, exercise, football, team sport
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-236590DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2024.2448824ISI: 001415937300001PubMedID: 39913196Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85217185791OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-236590DiVA, id: diva2:1945047
2025-03-172025-03-172025-11-28Bibliographically approved