There is evidence that walking groups have wide-ranging health benefits .
The evidence was less clear for other outcomes such as waist circumference fasting glucose , SF-36 ( mental health ) and serum lipids such as high-density lipids .
There were no notable adverse side effects reported in any of the studies .
CONCLUSIONS Walking groups are effective and safe with good adherence and wide-ranging health benefits .
They could be a promising intervention as an adjunct to other healthcare or as a proactive health-promoting activity
OBJECTIVE To assess the health benefits of  outdoor walking groups .
The implementation of a community-based aerobic walking program for mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis: A knowledge translation randomized controlled trial: Part II: Clinical outcomes
Background Osteoarthritis ( OA ) is the most common joint disorder in the world , as it is appears to be prevalent among 80 % of individuals over the age of 75 . Although physical activities such as walking have been scientifically proven to improve physical function and arthritic symptoms , individuals with OA tend to adopt a sedentary lifestyle . There is therefore a need to improve knowledge translation in order to influence individuals to adopt effective self-management interventions , such as an adapted walking program . Methods A single-blind , r and omized control trial was conducted . Subjects ( n = 222 ) were r and omized to one of three knowledge translation groups : 1 ) Walking and Behavioural intervention ( WB ) ( 18 males , 57 females ) which included the supervised community-based aerobic walking program combined with a behavioural intervention and an educational pamphlet on the benefits of walking ;  2 )  Walking intervention ( W ) ( 24 males , 57 females ) wherein participants only received the supervised community-based aerobic walking program intervention and the educational pamphlet ; 3 ) Self-directed control ( C ) ( 32 males , 52 females ) wherein participants only received the educational pamphlet . One-way analyses of variance were used to test for differences in quality of life , adherence , confidence , and clinical outcomes among the study groups at each 3 month assessment during the 12-month intervention period and 6-month follow-up period . Results The clinical and quality of life outcomes improved among participants in each of the three comparative groups . However , there were few statistically significant differences observed for quality of life and clinical outcomes at long-term measurements at 12-months end of intervention and at 6- months post intervention ( 18-month follow-up ) . Outcome results varied among the three groups . Conclusion The three groups were equivalent when determining the effectiveness of knowledge uptake and improvements in quality of life and other clinical outcomes . OA can be managed through the implementation of a proven effective walking program in existing community-based walking clubs . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials
There is evidence that walking groups have wide-ranging health benefits .
The evidence was less clear for other outcomes such as waist circumference fasting glucose , SF-36 ( mental health ) and serum lipids such as high-density lipids .
There were no notable adverse side effects reported in any of the studies .
CONCLUSIONS Walking groups are effective and safe with good adherence and wide-ranging health benefits .
They could be a promising intervention as an adjunct to other healthcare or as a proactive health-promoting activity
OBJECTIVE To assess the health benefits of  outdoor walking groups .