Effects of a 6-Week Walking Training Program on Health Status and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the University of Jaen have conducted a study to analyze the effects of a 6-week multidomain walking training program (MWTP) with mHealth technology on health status, cognitive performance, and physical function in older adults. The study, funded by the European Union, involved 49 sedentary older adults who were allocated to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group followed a 6-week mHealth-supported MWTP, while the control group maintained their usual routines. The study found that the autonomous, mHealth-supported format of the MWTP offers a scalable and cost-effective strategy for promoting healthy aging.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 49 sedentary older adults with a mean age of 69.9 years, allocated to either an experimental (n = 21) or control group (n = 28).
  • The experimental group followed a 6-week mHealth-supported MWTP, combining endurance, strength, and dual-task cognitive exercises with progressive intensity and volume.
  • The control group maintained their usual routines, while the experimental group experienced significant improvements in physical fitness, cognitive function, and health variables.
  • The study found that the MMWTP led to improvements in lower limb strength, walking speed, cardiorespiratory capacity, executive function, and health variables such as anthropometric and psychosocial measures.
  • The research suggested that the MMWTP can be a scalable and cost-effective strategy for promoting healthy aging in older adults.
  • The study used standardized tests to assess physical fitness, cognitive function, and health variables, and analyzed the data using SPSS v.19.0.
  • The study concluded that the MMWTP has a positive impact on the health status and cognitive performance of older adults, suggesting its potential for promoting healthy aging.

Statistics:

  • 49 sedentary older adults participated in the study, with 21 allocated to the experimental group and 28 to the control group.
  • The mean age of the participants was 69.9 years (SD = 3.7 years).
  • The MMWTP consisted of 6 weeks of mHealth-supported training, with sessions conducted 3 times a week.
  • The experimental group showed significant improvements in lower limb strength (p < 0.01), walking speed (p < 0.05), and cardiorespiratory capacity (p < 0.01).
  • The MMWTP was associated with improvements in executive function (p < 0.05) and anthropometric and psychosocial measures (p < 0.05).

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Researchers at University of Jaen Release New Data on Health Promotion (Effects of a 6-week Walking Training Program On Physical Fitness and Cognitive Performance In Older People). Telemedicine Week. October 28, 2025; p 76.
  • American Journal of Health Promotion. Effects of a 6-week Walking Training Program On Physical Fitness and Cognitive Performance In Older People. 2025. Sage Publications Inc, 2455 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.