Light-intensity PA was found to be beneficially associated with obesity , markers of lipid and glucose metabolism , and mortality .
Conclusions Observational evidence that light-intensity PA can confer health benefits is accumulating .
Background The health effects of light-intensity physical activity ( PA ) are not well known today .
Objective We conducted a systematic review to assess the association of accelerometer-measured light-intensity PA with modifiable health outcomes in adults and older adults .
Postpartum exercise regardless of intensity improves chronic disease risk factors.
PURPOSE Women who are unable to return to a healthy weight by 6 months postpartum increase their risk factors for the development of chronic disease ( CD ; including metabolic syndrome , obesity , and cardiovascular disease ) . In a prospect i ve r and omized intervention study , we examined the effect of exercise intensity on risk factors for CD in the postpartum . We hypothesized that women receiving an intervention targeting healthy weight loss would have improved CD risk factors compared with women not receiving the intervention . Further , we hypothesized that nutrition control and moderate-intensity exercise would have the greatest improvement in CD risk factors versus low-intensity exercise . METHODS Women were r and omly assigned to a nutrition plus low-intensity ( 30 % HR reserve ; n = 20 ) or moderate-intensity ( 70 % HR reserve ; n = 20 ) exercise intervention group . The program consisted of supervised walking for 45 min , three to four times per week for 16 wk . All women were screened for CD at the beginning ( 7 - 8 wk postpartum ) and at the end ( 23 - 25 wk postpartum ) of the study . A historical control group of 20 sedentary postpartum women was matched by body mass index , age , and parity . RESULTS The low- and moderate-intensity groups lost more body mass ( -4.2 ± 4.0 and -5.0 ± 2.9 kg , respectively ) compared with the control group ( -0.1 ± 3.3 kg , P < 0.01 ) . Plasma low-density lipoprotein was reduced for the low- and moderate-intensity groups ( -0.29 ± 0.21 and -0.28 ± 0.17 mmol · L ) compared with the control group ( 0.03 ± 0.18 mmol · L , P = 0.015 ) . In addition , glucose concentrations were reduced and adiponectin concentrations increased ( P = 0.037 ) , regardless of exercise intensity , although the sedentary controls remained unchanged or at increased risk for CD . CONCLUSIONS Women receiving a postpartum intervention targeting healthy weight loss , regardless of exercise intensity , improved CD risk factors compared with women not receiving the intervention
Light-intensity PA was found to be beneficially associated with obesity , markers of lipid and glucose metabolism , and mortality .
Conclusions Observational evidence that light-intensity PA can confer health benefits is accumulating .
Background The health effects of light-intensity physical activity ( PA ) are not well known today .
Objective We conducted a systematic review to assess the association of accelerometer-measured light-intensity PA with modifiable health outcomes in adults and older adults .