Impact of Walking Cadence Prescription to Reach the Global Physical Activity Recommendations in Older Adults

Walking cadence is a new monitoring strategy used to increase bouts of time at moderate intensity. Inactive older adults were instructed to walk 150 min per week at no specified intensity during phase one. In phase two, the intervention group (N = 23) received instructions on how to reach moderate intensity, using a pedometer and an individualized walking cadence, while the control group (N = 22) did not. The main outcomes were time at moderate intensity and moderate intensity in 10-min bouts. During phase two only the intervention group increased time at moderate intensity and moderate intensity in 10-min bouts compared with phase one and compared with the control group (p ≤ .01). Older adults can increase time walked at moderate intensity in 10-min bouts weekly by using individually prescribed walking cadence, a pedometer to track intensity, and practicing walking at this cadence.