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 effects of physical activity in the acute treatment of bipolar disorder: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND Physical activity has demonstrated efficacy in depression and anxiety , but its potential in the management of bipolar disorder is yet unexplored . This study is a pilot investigation into the effectiveness of an adjunctive walking program in the acute treatment of  bipolar disorder  . METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients admitted over a 24-month period to a private psychiatric unit with a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder ( ICD-10 ) . All patients were invited to participate voluntarily in a walking group during their admissions . Those who reliably attended the walking group ( participants ) were compared against those who did not attend ( non- participants ) , using the clinician-rated Clinical Global Impression Severity ( CGI-S ) and Improvement ( CGI-I ) scales and the self-reported 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales ( DASS ) as primary outcome measures . RESULTS There were 24 admissions for participants and 74 admissions for non- participants . The two groups did not differ significantly in patient demographics or admission CGI and DASS measures , except for a lower DASS Stress subscore for participants ( p=0.049 ) . At discharge , the inter-group differences in CGI measures remained non-significant , but participants had significantly lower scores than non- participants for DASS ( p=0.005 ) and all its subscales ( Depression p=0.048 , Anxiety p=0.002 , Stress p=0.01 ) . LIMITATIONS Method ological limitations include a retrospective design , small sample size , lack of r and omisation or control , and indirect measure of manic symptoms . CONCLUSIONS The results of this trial provide preliminary support for a therapeutic role of physical activity in bipolar disorder , and warrant further investigation with r and omised 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 .