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Biomedical subjects

R Laukkanen

Publications and source records attributed to R Laukkanen.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Changes in cardiac autonomic regulation after prolonged maximal exercise.

Harmful cardiac events occurs frequently after exercise. However, the cardiac autonomic regulation after vigorous exercise is not well known. This study was designed to assess heart rate (HR) variability before and after a 75 km cross-country skiing race. HR variability was assessed by using standard statistical measures along with spectral and quantitative Poincarè plot analysis of HR variability in 10 healthy male subjects (age 36 +/- 11 years). The average HR was at the same level 1 day after the race as before the race, but on the second day, HR was significantly lower (P<0.001) compared with the prerace and 1 day after values. The normalized high-frequency (HF) spectral component of HR variability (nuHF) was lower (P<0.01) on the first day after the maximal exercise compared with the pre-exercise values but returned to or even exceeded the prerace level on the second day (P<0.01). The changes in short-term R-R interval variability analysed from the Poincaré plot were similar to those observed in the HF spectral component. The normalized low-frequency (LF) spectral component of HR variability (nuLF) was higher (P<0.01) on the first day after the exercise compared with the prerace levels and it also returned to the pre-exercise level or even dropped below it on the second day after the race. The mean time it took the HF spectral component to return to the pre-exercise level was 4.2 +/- 4.2 h (ranging from 0 to 12 h). This recovery time correlated inversely with the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) measured during the bicycle exercise test before the skiing race (r=-0.712, P<0.016). The cardiac vagal outflow is blunted for several hours after prolonged vigorous exercise. The recovery time of reduced vagal outflow depends on individual cardiorespiratory fitness and there is an accentuated rebound of altered autonomic regulation on the second day after prolonged exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A controlled trial of the health benefits of regular walking on a golf course.

PURPOSE: To study the effects of regular walking during a golf game on various health and fitness indicators in middle-aged men. METHODS: Study subjects were 55 healthy male golfers aged 48 to 64 years who had been sedentary during the 7 months before the study, and 55 age-matched, similarly sedentary controls. During the 20-week study, those in the intervention group were encouraged to play golf two to three times a week; the controls were not. Measurements of body composition, cardiorespiratory performance, motor and musculoskeletal fitness, blood pressure, and serum lipid, glucose, and insulin levels were obtained at baseline and after the 20-week study. RESULTS: Walking during a golf game was a practical and safe form of physical activity with high adherence. It significantly increased aerobic performance and trunk muscle endurance, with a net difference (pretraining to posttraining change between the golfers and controls) of 36 seconds (95% confidence interval [CI]: 19 to 53 seconds, P < 0.001) for treadmill walking time and 13 seconds (95% CI: 2 to 24 seconds, P = 0.02) for static back extension. In addition, regular walking favorably affected body composition, including reductions in weight of 1.4 kg (95% CI: 0.6 to 2.1 kg, P < 0.001), in waist circumference of 2.2 cm (95% CI: 1.0 to 3.3 cm, P < 0.001), and in abdominal skin fold thickness of 2.2 cm (95% CI: 0.9 to 3.4 cm, P = 0.001). Golfers also had significantly greater increases in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and in the ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Regular walking had many positive effects on the health and fitness of sedentary middle-aged men. Walking during a golf game is characterized by high adherence and low risk of injury and is therefore a good form of health-enhancing physical activity.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

The effect of heart rate controlled low resistance circuit weight training and endurance training on maximal aerobic power in sedentary adults.

The effects of a 12-week low resistance circuit weight training (CWT) on cardiovascular and muscular fitness were studied in 90 healthy sedentary adults. The subjects were randomized into three equally fit groups: CWT, Endurance (END) and Control (CON) according to their maximal aerobic power (VO2max). Both training groups exercised for 12 weeks, 3 days a week in sessions of 40 min, with a heart rate (HR) level of 70-80% HRmax. The CWT group trained with air resistance machines. Heart rate was controlled by setting the speed of movement. The END group walked, jogged, cross-country skied or cycled. The net differences (between pre- and posttraining changes) between the CWT and CON groups was statistically significant for VO2max (2.45 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1), 95% CI 1.1; 3.8), for abdominal muscles (3.7 reps, CI 0.3; 7.1), for push-ups (1.1 reps, CI 0.2; 2.1), and for kneeling (2.25 reps, CI 0.01; 4.5). The net difference (between pre- and posttraining changes) in the END and CON groups was statistically significant for VO2max (2.75 ml(-1) x min(-1) x kg(-1), 95% CI 0.9; 4.6), and kneeling (3.0 reps, CI 0.7; 5.3). Low resistance CWT with moderately hard HR level has effects comparable to an equal amount of endurance training on the cardiovascular fitness of sedentary adults. The CWT model was benefical also on muscular fitness. Based on the results, this type of exercise can be recommended for beginners because of its multilevel effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Factors affecting the relation between heart rate and energy expenditure during exercise.

This study evaluated the ability to use the relationship between heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) to estimate energy expenditure during physical activity (AEE). General prediction equations were established based on the individual relations between HR and AEE. Forty-two women, (mean age 38.1 [SD 9.8] years, BMI 23.9 [SD 4.4]), and 45 men (40.3 [SD 9.2] years, BMI 24.7 [SD 2.9]), carried out two incremental tests, one with a cycle ergometer and another on a treadmill. Subjects also performed a 10 minute steady-state exercise, cycling and walking. Respiratory gases were obtained from indirect calorimetry. AEE was calculated from VO2 and carbon dioxide production (VCO2). The predicted AEE was compared with the AEE measured during the steady-state exercise. Using the generalised linear model, two alternative models were found to predict AEE and HR. The first showed a three-way interaction between HR, body weight and gender (p = 0.022) and also between HR age and gender (p=0.083). The second produced a three-way interaction between HR, body weight and gender (p=0.057). For cycling and walking, respectively, the predicted AEE overestimated the actual AEE by 17.7 (SD 23.2)% and 6.2 (SD 19.3)% in the first model and by 17.9 (SD 22.7)% and 6.6 (SD 19.8)% in the second during the steady-state exercise. It was concluded that at least gender and body weight should be included when HR is used to predict AEE.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

How to develop a group curriculum: developing an exercise programme for overweight adults.

This paper reports on work to develop introductory exercise courses for sedentary, moderately overweight adults. The aim is to offer a safe and motivating programme of physical exercise and, through experiential learning, to encourage and facilitate increased physical activity. The core of the programme is a course of 10-20 weekly exercise classes. The classes include a variety of physical exercises adapted to the special needs of overweight adults (BMI 28-34 kg/m2) and a number of health-related fitness tests. We outline the underlying principles of the exercise courses, their structure and contents, the guidelines of instruction, and the use of formative evaluation. In addition, we report on the implementation of five weight-reduction courses and six exercise courses involving a total of 209 participants. A fairly high level of programme acceptability (in terms of attendance rates and personal commitment) and programme feasibility (in terms of acceptability, changes in personal orientation towards health and weight reduction, and satisfaction among participants) was achieved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Assessment of energy expenditure in overweight women.

PURPOSE: To compare field measures of average daily energy expenditure (ADEE) against criterion data by the doubly labeled water method (DLW) in overweight women. METHODS: The subject were 20 overweight (BMI 29.9 +a- 3.0 kg.m-2) premenopausal women. Energy expenditure was measured by DLW and by the factorial method (activity diary, two techniques differing by method to obtain resting energy expenditure, REE), heart-rate monitoring (HR, two techniques differing by the FLEX-point to discriminate sedentary and activity HR), accelerometer, and pedometer. RESULTS: The ADEE(DLW) was 10.26 +a- 1.1 MJ.d-1. The mean bias (ADEE by the alternative minus ADEE(DLW) was smallest for the accelerometer (+ 0.08 +a- 1.63 MJ) and HR-FLEX10 (+ 0.11 +a- 1.67 MJ). The HR-FLEX(0) technique (lower FLEX-point) overestimated ADEE by + 1.18 (+a- 1.97 MJ). However, the random error (SD of bias) was smaller for both factorial techniques (REE measured: -0.48 +2- 0.81 MJ; REE calculated from the WHO equation: -0.22 +2- 0.88 MJ). CONCLUSION: The results show that simple factorial methods may assess ADEE with small random errors in population with a rather narrow range of physical activity. The accelerometer and HR with the higher FLEX-point have comparable results with smaller bias but larger random error compared with the factorial techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Effects of walking training on health-related fitness in healthy middle-aged adults--a randomized controlled study.

The effects of walking training on VO2max, serum lipoproteins and plasma fibrinogen were studied in 119 healthy middle-aged persons. Training prescription was 65-75% of VO2max, 50 min/session, four times a week for 15 weeks. The net difference (between pre-posttraining changes in the walking and control group) was statistically significant for VO2max (0.14 l .min-1, 95% CI 0.04, 0.23), total cholesterol (-0.20 mmol.l-1, CI -0.34, -0.06), LDL cholesterol (-0.17 mmol.l-1, CI -0.29, -0.05), ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol (0.014, CI 0.005, 0.023), and triglycerides (-0.15 mmol.l-1, CI -0.26, -0.04). No statistically significant changes occurred in fibrinogen. The findings indicate that walking training of moderate intensity resulted in a modest increase in VO2max and minor but consistently favorable changes in serum lipoproteins.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Validity of a two kilometre walking test for estimating maximal aerobic power in overweight adults.

In our earlier study a regression model, with heart rate and time in a 2 km fast walk, body mass index (BMI) or weight (kg) and age as explanatory variables, explained 75% of the variation in the VO2max of adults with normal weight. The present study was designed to test whether the prediction model based on a 2km fast walk and simple site measurements is valid in estimating the VO2max of overweight men and women and to compare 1km and 2km test distances. Forty-five women and thirty-two men, BMI 27-40, aged 20-65 years, with no cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal restrictions for a maximal stress test and fast walk, were studied. The VO2max was determined in an uphill walk to maximal effort on a treadmill. Two walking tests, 1km and 2km, were conducted on a flat dirt road. Heart rate was recorded during the walks, and the mean rate during the last 30 seconds was used in the model. The correlation coefficients between the measured and predicted VO2max in the 2km test were 0.77 for the women and 0.75 for men, corrected for body weight (ml/kg/min), and 0.77 and 0.69 respectively in absolute values (1/min). These results suggest that the 2km walk test previously developed for adults within normal weight limits is a reasonably valid test of the cardiorespiratory fitness of overweight, but otherwise healthy, women and men.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A 2-km walking test for assessing the cardiorespiratory fitness of healthy adults.

A simple walking test was developed with 159 (females = 80, males = 79) healthy 20-65-year-old subjects. All the subjects first walked the distances of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 km on a flat dirt road. Half of the participants were tested in the laboratory for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and the 2-km test was repeated again twice. In a comparison of the three distances, the 2-km test was repeatable, the most preferable subjectively and the most accurate in predicting VO2max. A sex-specific prediction model including walking time, heart rate at the end of the walk, age and body mass index predicted 73-75% of the variance in VO2max (ml.kg-1.min-1) and that with body weight 66-76%, with a standard error of estimate of the order of 9-15% of the mean. The cross-validation of the models yielded reasonable accuracy in obese men and women and in moderately active men, and less accuracy in moderately active women and highly active men. These results suggest that a fast 2-km walk supplemented with simple measurements is a feasible and accurate alternative for determining the cardiorespiratory fitness of healthy adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A new fitness test for cardiovascular epidemiology and exercise promotion.

The present study suggests that the 2-km walking test is relatively simple to administer by trained instructors, it is as accurate in predicting VO2 max as most available indirect methods, and it is socially acceptable for a normal population. Thus, the test seems to provide a feasible alternative for the testing of cardiovascular fitness in epidemiological research and exercise promotion.

Adult↗