A Comparison of Caloric Expenditure for Walking versus Running One-mile Michelle B., Will C., Saima D., Nolan G., Jill H., Sara P.

Literature Review Reported data –B Braun Umass Amherst 2002 Walking 20 miles will utilize the same amount of calories as running 20 miles as long as distance is equal –PS Freedson Umass Amherst 2002 Walking a mile is comparable to running a mile with regards to caloric expenditure and without correcting for intensity

Review cont. Conflicting data with reported data –Powers and Howley (McGraw-Hill 2001) Published data: running a mile will “burn” 2X the amount of calories in comparison to walking a mile when controlling for body size (kcal/kg) Umass Amherst Campus View (questionnaire date 2002) –N=60, 6 groups (subsample n=10) –Umass Professor: kcal run 1 mile=walk 1 mile –Umass Undergrads: kcal for walk 1 mile  run 1 mile

Current Beliefs (cont.)

Hypothesis Running a measured mile will expend more kcal than walking a measured mile

Experimental Design Approval via Dr. Braun and Human Subjects Committee Verbal Consent from all participants Participants (N=4) –college-aged students –3 hr fasting period prior to all testing procedure –no strenuous exercise within 24hr –maintain daily routine –no caffeine or supplements within 24hr

Experimental Design cont. Record height (in) and weight (lb) for each testing session Calibrate metabolic cart Fit subjects with: –HR monitor –Headpiece and Hans-Rudolph mouthpiece –Keep mouthpeice in for warm-up, mile walked/run and ~20s after completion

Pilot Study Pre-determine TM speeds via HR –Walking speed= 40% Age predicted HRmax –Running speed= 60% Age predicted HRmax Randomized Trial –Walk a mile then rest for 1 hr –Run a mile

Results of Pilot Study TM speeds cannot be based on HR –Causes biomechanical inefficiency, may effect results –HR may fluctuate e.g. hydration, nervousness of testing –Data collection time block inadequate time block of 3+ hr per subject not feasible

Experimental Protocol Revised 2 Separate days of data collection –randomized –following same pre-testing protocol (e.g. no caffeine) Intensity control –Use of Borg scale Walking=3 (moderate intensity) Running=6 (strong intensity) –5 min warm-up to establish intensity

Results N=3 (one subject did not complete protocol)

Results (cont.) Differences in caloric expenditure for 1 mile varied between subjects Relative to body wt (kg) there is a difference

Discussion Hypothesis WAS supported –Difference in caloric expenditure for walking and running one measured mile –Differences in relative caloric expenditure (kcal/kg) for walking and running one measured mile Comparing with previous literature –Does not support PS Freedson nor B Braun –Differences in relative kcal expenditure does not support Powers & Howley (2001) –Supports Umass Undergrads questionnaire results

Limitations Future Studies Small sample size Short distance Lack of control for training status –trained endurance runner had lowest difference in kcal –others were untrained Larger Sample Size Longer distance Control for training status Test for gender differences

Acknowledgements Rebecca Hasson Exercise Physiology Lab Questionnaire participants (you know who you are) Dave Pober Dr B. Braun