Effects of a physical activity support program based on bench-stepping exercise on physical fitness, mental health and health-related quality of life in Japanese returnees from China
10.7600/jspfsm.64.173
- VernacularTitle:中国帰国者におけるベンチステップ運動プログラムが体力とメンタルヘルスおよび健康関連QOLに与える影響
- Author:
Kazuhiro Morimura
;
Hideaki Kumahara
;
Junichi Nishida
;
Yuki Inoue
;
Kumiko Ookuma
;
Saori Nakano
;
Kana Miyazaki
;
Risa Yoshitake
;
Hiroaki Tanaka
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
health-related physical fitness;
physical activity;
exercise prescription;
health promotion
- From:Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine
2015;64(1):173-182
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
This study aimed to examine the effects of an 8-week physical activity program, which mainly comprised home-based bench-stepping exercise training at the intensity of lactate threshold (LT), on mental health (MH), health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and physical fitness in Japanese returnees from China. Thirty Japanese returnees (63 ± 9 y) participated in the exercise program. Another six subjects were enrolled as the control group. The subjects performed 212 ± 57 min of training, and their daily step counts were increased. Aerobic capacity (LT: 4.5 ± 0.8 vs. 5.5 ± 1.1 METs), lower limb strength (30-s chair stand test [CS-30]: 19.1 ± 5.5 vs. 21.3 ± 5.1 times), and sit-and-reach flexibility (sitting-posture body anteflexion: 36.1 ± 9.4 vs. 39.0 ± 8.4 cm) were significantly increased after the intervention compared with before the intervention. Furthermore, MH, as assessed by the total score of the GHQ-28 (3.4 ± 4.4 vs. 0.3 ± 0.8 points), and the mental component score (MCS) of HRQOL, as evaluated by the SF-36v2 (55.1 ± 11.4 vs. 58.5 ± 10.0), were significantly changed in a positive manner. However, a two-way repeated measures ANOVA (group × period) showed significant interactions for LT and MCS (p<0.05), and a tendency for interactions of CS-30 (p=0.063) and the total score of the GHQ-28 (p=0.098). These results indicate that this bench-stepping exercise program could become a useful health support program for improving physical fitness, as well as MH and HRQOL, in Japanese returnees.
