Investigating body composition metrics in hypertensive men aged 60-70 through walking football
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v65.109182Keywords:
Body composition, hypertension, older adults, physical activity, walking footballAbstract
Introduction: Hypertension is a common health concern among older adults, often associated with adverse changes in body composition. Effective lifestyle interventions targeting this demographic are critical for promoting healthier aging.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a twelve-week walking football program on body composition parameters in hypertensive men aged 60 to 70 years.
Methodology: A mixed ANOVA design (2 groups × 4 time points) was employed to assess body composition metrics, including body fat percentage (BFP), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lean body mass (LBM), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Assessments were conducted at baseline, and after the fourth, eighth, and twelfth weeks.
Results: the experimental group demonstrated significant reductions in BMI, BFP, WHR, and WHtR, along with a notable increase in LBM compared to the control group.
Discussion: The findings support existing evidence that structured physical activity, such as walking football, can positively influence body composition in older adults. This intervention appears particularly effective for hypertensive men.
Conclusions: Walking football may be a viable and impactful strategy for improving body composition and supporting healthy aging in hypertensive older men. Future research should explore long-term adherence and broader health outcomes.
References
Abou Sawan, S., Nunes, E. A., Lim, C., McKendry, J., & Phillips, S. M. (2023). The health benefits of re-sistance exercise: Beyond hypertrophy and big weights. Exercise, Sport, and Movement, 1(1), e00001. https://doi.org/10.1249/ESM.0000000000000001
American College of Sports Medicine. (2013). ACSM's guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (9th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Andersson, H., Caspers, A., Godhe, M., Helge, T., Eriksen, J., Fransson, D., ... & Ekblom-Bak, E. (2023). Walking football for health: Physiological response to playing and characteristics of the players. Science and Medicine in Football, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2023.2249426
Araya-Ramírez, F., Moncada-Jiménez, J., Grandjean, P. W., & Franklin, B. A. (2022). Improved walk test performance and blood pressure responses in men and women completing cardiac rehabilita-tion: Implications regarding exercise trainability. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 16(6), 772–778. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827621995129
Arnold, J. T., Bruce-Low, S., & Sammut, L. (2015). The impact of 12 weeks walking football on health and fitness in males over 50 years of age. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 1(1), bmjsem-2015. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2015-000048
Bhat, A. K., & Dhruvarajan, R. (2001). Ageing in India: Drifting intergenerational relations, challenges, and options. Ageing & Society, 21(5), 621–640. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X0100842X
Collado-Mateo, D., Lavín-Pérez, A. M., Peñacoba, C., Del Coso, J., Leyton-Román, M., Luque-Casado, A., ... & Amado-Alonso, D. (2021). Key factors associated with adherence to physical exercise in pa-tients with chronic diseases and older adults: An umbrella review. International Journal of En-vironmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042023
Corepal, R., Zhang, J. Y., Grover, S., Hubball, H., & Ashe, M. C. (2020). Walking soccer: A systematic re-view of a modified sport. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 30(12), 2282–2290. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13772
Costa, J. A., Coelho, C. A., Ferraz, A., Brito, J., Guilherme, J., Seabra, A., ... & Gonçalves, B. (2024). The influ-ence of including goalkeepers on the intensity demands of walking football practice. Sports, 12(12), 346. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12120346
de Simone, G., Mancusi, C., Izzo, R., Losi, M. A., & Aldo Ferrara, L. (2016). Obesity and hypertensive heart disease: Focus on body composition and sex differences. Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, 8, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-016-0193-x
Di Lorito, C., Bosco, A., Booth, V., Goldberg, S., Harwood, R. H., & Van der Wardt, V. (2020). Adherence to exercise interventions in older people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia: A system-atic review and meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 19, 101139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101139
Egger, F., Ditscheid, A., Schwarz, M., & Meyer, T. (2024). Physical demands of walking football in pa-tients with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 34(5), 462–468. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001218
European Football for Development Network. (2017). Walking football practitioner's guide. Retrieved from https://www.efdn.org
Friedrich, B., & Mason, O. (2017). Evaluation of the coping through football project: Physical activity and psychosocial outcomes. The Open Public Health Journal, 10, 276–282. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874944501710010276
Gibson, A. L., Heyward, V. H., & Mermier, C. M. (2000). Predictive accuracy of Omron® Body Logic Ana-lyzer in estimating relative body fat of adults. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Ex-ercise Metabolism, 10(2), 216–227. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.10.2.216
Goldspink, D. F. (2005). Ageing and activity: Their effects on the functional reserve capacities of the heart and vascular smooth and skeletal muscles. Ergonomics, 48(11–14), 1334–1351. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130500101247
Green, D. J., Hopman, M. T., Padilla, J., Laughlin, M. H., & Thijssen, D. H. (2017). Vascular adaptation to exercise in humans: Role of hemodynamic stimuli. Physiological Reviews, 97(2), 495–528. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00014.2016
Hegde, S. M., & Solomon, S. D. (2015). Influence of physical activity on hypertension and cardiac struc-ture and function. Current Hypertension Reports, 17(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-015-0588-3
Khodadad Kashi, S., Mirzazadeh, Z. S., & Saatchian, V. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of resistance training on quality of life, depression, muscle strength, and functional exercise capac-ity in older adults aged 60 years or more. Biological Research for Nursing, 25(1), 88–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/10998004221120945
Koliaki, C., Liatis, S., & Kokkinos, A. (2019). Obesity and cardiovascular disease: Revisiting an old rela-tionship. Metabolism, 92, 98–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.10.011
Kumar, D. P. (2022). The role of demographic variables in sports participation. International Journal of Economic Perspectives, 16(11), 1–10. Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal/article/view/425
Loadman, A. (2019). “He’s running, Ref!” An ethnographic study of walking football. Soccer & Society, 20(4), 675–692. https://doi.org/10.1080/14660970.2017.1396451
Manton, K. G., Corder, L. S., & Stallard, E. (1993). Estimates of change in chronic disability and institu-tional incidence and prevalence rates in the US elderly population from the 1982, 1984, and 1989 national long term care survey. Journal of Gerontology, 48(4), S153–S166. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/48.4.S153
McBain, T., & Broom, D. (2022). O2-8 Effects of a 12-week walking football intervention on cardiovas-cular disease risk factors in an older adult population: A randomised controlled trial in the UK. European Journal of Public Health, 32(Supplement_2), ckac094-016. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckac094.016
Mendizábal, Y., Llorens, S., & Nava, E. (2013). Hypertension in metabolic syndrome: Vascular patho-physiology. International Journal of Hypertension, 2013(1), 230868. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/230868
Paterson, D. H., Jones, G. R., & Rice, C. L. (2007). Ageing and physical activity: Evidence to develop exer-cise recommendations for older adults. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 32(S2E), S69–S108. https://doi.org/10.1139/H07-111
Perrier, E., Demazières, A., Girard, N., Pross, N., Osbild, D., Metzger, D., et al. (2013). Circadian variation and responsiveness of hydration biomarkers to changes in daily water intake. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(8), 2143–2151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2649-0
Reddy, P., Dias, I., Holland, C., Campbell, N., Nagar, I., Connolly, L., et al. (2017). Walking football as sus-tainable exercise for older adults: A pilot investigation. European Journal of Sport Science, 17(5), 638–645. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2017.1298671
Robinson, S., Granic, A., Cruz-Jentoft, A. J., & Sayer, A. A. (2023). The role of nutrition in the prevention of sarcopenia. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 118(5), 852–864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.015
Schutte, A. E. (2018). What are the financial implications of the 2017 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline? European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 25(10), 1109–1110. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487318777087
Simón Mora, R. M., Sánchez Oliver, A. J., Suárez Carmona, W., & González Jurado, J. A. (2021). Efecto de un programa de ejercicio físico sobre la condición física y la grasa visceral en personas con obe-sidad (Effect of a physical exercise program on physical fitness and visceral fat in people with obesity). Retos, 39, 723–730. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i39.78997
Suryadi, D., Komaini, A., Suganda, M. A., Rubiyatno, R., Faridah, E., Fauzan, L. A., et al. (2024). Sports health in older age: Prevalence and risk factors: Systematic review. Retos, 53, 390–399. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v53.102654
Syaukani, A. A., Jariono, G., Susanto, N., & Setyawan, H. (2024). Perception on health and exercise among Indonesian older adults: A sequential exploratory study in Javanese rural communities. Retos, 59, 156–164. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v59.107148
Taylor, D., & Pringle, A. (2022). Investigating the effect of walking football on the mental and social well-being of men. Soccer & Society, 23(7), 805–820. https://doi.org/10.1080/14660970.2021.1967933
Tewari, S. (2021). Sports and the physical: Acting as stimulators for the aged. In Ageing issues in India: Practices, perspectives and policies (pp. 389–396). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5827-3_23
Thomas, G. M. (2024). “It’s lovely to have that sense of belonging”: Older men’s involvement in walking football. Leisure Studies, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2024.2376825
Ungvari, Z., Fazekas-Pongor, V., Csiszar, A., & Kunutsor, S. K. (2023). The multifaceted benefits of walk-ing for healthy aging: From Blue Zones to molecular mechanisms. Geroscience, 45(6), 3211–3239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-023-00873-8
Vainshelboim, B., Oliveira, J., Fox, B. D., Soreck, Y., Fruchter, O., & Kramer, M. R. (2015). Long-term ef-fects of a 12-week exercise training program on clinical outcomes in idiopathic pulmonary fi-brosis. Lung, 193(3), 345–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-015-9703-0
Vasold, K. L., Parks, A. C., Phelan, D. M., Pontifex, M. B., & Pivarnik, J. M. (2019). Reliability and validity of commercially available low-cost bioelectrical impedance analysis. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 29(4), 406–410. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0283
Visaria, P. (2001). Demographics of ageing in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 1967–1975. Re-trieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/4410693
Westerterp, K. R., Meijer, G. A., Janssen, E. M., Saris, W. H., & Ten Hoor, F. (1992). Long-term effect of physical activity on energy balance and body composition. British Journal of Nutrition, 68(1), 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN19920063
Whelton, P. K., Carey, R. M., Aronow, W. S., Casey, D. E., Collins, K. J., Dennison Himmelfarb, C., ... & Wright, J. T. (2018). 2017 ACC/AHA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: A report of the American College of Cardiolo-gy/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal of the Amer-ican College of Cardiology, 71(19), e127–e248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006
White, R. L., McInerney, A., Young, C., Elston, R., Dogramaci, S. N., Fitzsimons, L., ... & Bennie, A. (2021). Understanding participant experiences of walking football in Australia. UWS Research Direct. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:63005
Williams, N. (2017). The Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale. Occupational Medicine, 67(5), 404–405. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqx063
Xu, X., Tupy, S., Robertson, S., Miller, A. L., Correll, D., Tivis, R., & Nigg, C. R. (2018). Successful adherence and retention to daily monitoring of physical activity: Lessons learned. PLOS One, 13(9), e0199838. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199838
Zhang, P., Li, X., Fang, Z., Lu, Y., Cui, J., Du, X., & Hu, R. (2021). Smartphone application-supported valida-tion of three automatic devices for self-measurement of blood pressure according to the Euro-pean Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010: The Omron HEM-7120, Yuwell YE680A, and Cofoe KF-65B. Blood Pressure Monitoring, 26(6), 435–440. https://doi.org/10.1097/MBP.0000000000000547
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mir Ahsan Ul Haq, Sandhya Tiwari, Sandeep Tiwari
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
