Journal
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES
Volume 40, Issue 15, Pages 1732-1740Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2103622
Keywords
Walking speed; moderate intensity; physical activity
Categories
Funding
- NIH NIA [5R01AG049024]
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This study aimed to identify optimal and heuristic speed thresholds associated with 3 METs during overground walking across age groups. The results suggested that walking at 3 mph or 5 km/h may better identify absolutely-defined moderate intensity overground walking, regardless of age.
The Compendium of Physical Activities reports that walking at 2.5 mph associates with absolutely-defined moderate intensity (i.e., >= 3 metabolic equivalents [METs]). However, it is unclear whether this speed threshold is accurate during overground walking and/or across the adult age-span. This study aimed to identify optimal and heuristic speed thresholds associated with 3 METs during overground walking across age groups. Healthy adults (n = 248, 21-85 years old, 49% women) performed a 5-minute self-paced overground walking trial. Speed was measured using an electronic gait mat, and oxygen uptake was measured using indirect calorimetry and converted to METs. Optimal and heuristic thresholds and classification accuracy metrics were determined and compared using ROC curve analyses. Speed thresholds (95% CIs) associated with 3 METs for the whole sample, young (21-40 years), middle-aged (41-60 years) and older-aged (61-85 years) groups were 1.29 (1.25, 1.33), 1.30 (1,26, 1,35), and 1.25 (1.21, 1.29) m/s, respectively. Overall, 3 mph and 5 km/h performed better than 2.5 mph and 4.5 km/h in balancing both sensitivity and specificity (higher Youden's Indices). Overground walking speeds associated with 3 METs were similar across age groups. A heuristic threshold of 3 mph or 5 km/h may better identify absolutely-defined moderate intensity overground walking.
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