Does walking 15 minutes per day keep the obesity epidemic away? Simulation of the efficacy of a populationwide campaign

Abstract

Small physical activity increases may prevent weight gain in most populations. Geneva residents completed validated quantitative physical activity frequency questionnaires from 1997 to 2001. Fifteen minutes per day of moderate or brisk walking, or 30 minutes per day of slow walking, could increase physical activity at the population level; however, if the specific goal is to approach expending 420 kJ/d (100 kcal/d) through walking, the duration should be closer to 60 minutes for slow walking and 30 minutes for moderate or brisk walking.

FIGURE 1—

Population distributions of (a) daily total energy expenditure (1 kJ/d = 4.2 kcal/d) for 30 minutes of daily moderate walking, (b) gains in energy expenditure for 30 minutes of daily moderate walking, (c) daily total energy expenditure for 30 minutes of daily brisk walking, and (d) gains in energy expenditure for 30 minutes of daily brisk walking by 6010 randomly selected adult (3014 men, 2996 women, aged 35–74 y) residents of Geneva, Switzerland, 1997–2001. Note. EE = energy expenditure. Increases to recommended frequency, duration, and intensity of walking were assumed to be possible only for persons walking less than the recommendation (eligible adults), and prevalent compliers were assumed to continue their walking habits without change. Gains are for moderate walking (3.9 basal metabolic rate) for 30 minutes per day by prevalent compliers and 50% of eligible adults and for brisk walking (4.7 basal metabolic rate) for 30 minutes per day by prevalent compliers and 50% of eligible adults.