Walking and resting blood pressure in adults: A Meta-analysis

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of walking on resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults. Methods. A total of 24 primary outcomes from 16 studies and 650 subjects (410 exercise, 240 control) met the criteria for inclusion: (1) randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, (2) walking as the only intervention, (3) subjects apparently sedentary, (4) adult humans ≥18 years of age, (5) English-language studies published between January 1966 and December 1998, (6) resting blood pressure assessed, (7) training studies ≥4 weeks. Results. Using a random effects model, statistically significant decreases of approximately 2% were found for both resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic, image, 95% confidence interval: −5 to −2 mm Hg; diastolic, image, 95% confience interval: −3 to −1 mm Hg). Conclusion. Walking exercise programs reduce resting blood pressure in adults.