Comparison of the Physiological, Perception and Affective Responses During Treadmill Walking at Self-Selected Pace by Adult Women of Three Different Age Groups

To compare the physiological, perception and affective responses during treadmill walking at a self-selected pace by previously sedentary women from three age groups. Methods: Sixty-six healthy women were assigned into three groups according to their age: GI (20.0-25.0 yr, n = 22), GII (30.0-35.0 yr, n = 22) and GIII (40.0-45.0 yr, n = 22). Each participant performed (i) an initial medical screening, anthropometric assessment and familiarization; (ii) an incremental treadmill test to determine O2max; and (iii) a 20-min treadmill walking bout at a self-selected pace. During the 20-min of treadmill walking at a self-selected pace, the physiological (oxygen uptake, O2 and heart rate, HR) responses were continuously recorded. The perception (Borg-RPE for the overall body, 6-20) and affective (Feeling Scale) responses were measured every 5 min throughout the test. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05). Results: one-way ANOVA demonstrated that there were not significant differences in O2 and HR during a 20-min treadmill walking bout at a self-selected pace among the three age groups. However, the % O-2Max, % O2LV, % FCMax, and %FCLV were significantly higher in GIII compared with GI and GII (p < 0.05). Finally, the perception and affective responses during a 20-min treadmill walking bout at a self-selected pace were similar among the three age groups. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that the physiological but not the perception and affective responses to treadmill walking at a self-selected pace by sedentary women, did differ according to their age group.