Walking in the cement forest: A health enhancement and pedometer-determined ambulatory (HEPA) program in Hong Kong

Background: Due to lack of infrastructures in the public estates, many older adults were sedentary. A capacity building project named 'Health enhancement and pedometer-determined ambulatory (HEPA) program' was developed to assist home-dwelling older adults develop walking exercise habits i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of aging and physical activity 2012-08, Vol.20, p.S226-S227
Main Authors: Leung, AYM, Tse, M, Cheung, MKT, Shum, W C, Lancaster, J, Lam, CLK
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Exercise
Gerontology
Health
Lifestyle
Programs
Social support
Strength
Walking
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Summary:Background: Due to lack of infrastructures in the public estates, many older adults were sedentary. A capacity building project named 'Health enhancement and pedometer-determined ambulatory (HEPA) program' was developed to assist home-dwelling older adults develop walking exercise habits in their own neighborhood and built up social support for regular physical activity. Objectives: This study aims to describe the intervention used to motivate the sedentary older adults and report the change of their walking capacity and body strength after the 10-week walking. Method: A pre-and-post intervention design was used. Number of steps taken per day, upper and lower body strength, lower body flexibility, and quality of life were measured. Results: A total of 1,408 older adults participated in various activities in the HEPA program. Among these, 205 completed the 10-week walking and all health assessments. After the 10-week walking, participants' average number of steps per day increased from 6591 (Week 1) to 8934 (Week 10) (increased by 36%). Their lower body strength (mean difference, m.d. = 1.71, p < 0.001), upper body strength (m.d. = 1.29, p < 0.001), aerobic fitness (m.d. = 20.74, p < 0.001) significantly increased after 10 weeks. Their quality of life in physical health (m.d. = 2.86, p < 0.001) and mental health (m.d. = 2.11, p < 0.01) was significantly improved. Conclusion and Discussion: The HEPA program successfully increased participants' walking level and improved their body strength and quality of life. Social network support was built and local environment was utilized to make walking possible and enjoyable.
ISSN:1063-8652