Oxygen cost of walking and its relationship with body composition in multiple sclerosis
Authors' conclusion
The results indicated that higher O2 cost of walking was associated with lower fat and worse bone health after taking factors such as disability status into consideration. Researchers may focus on interventions that change body composition, or perhaps gait profiles, as possible approaches for changing O2 cost of walking and its consequences such as disability status in persons with MS.
Study context
- Population
- Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) across a wide distribution of body mass index (BMI); mild-to-moderate MS
- Participants
- 63 persons
- Outcome
- Relationship between O2 cost of walking and body composition metrics (%Fat, fat-free mass (FFM), bone mineral content, BMD, weight/FFM by DXA)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
O2 cost of walking vs BMI (rs; p = 0.015)
−31
O2 cost of walking vs %Fat (rs; p = 0.041)
−0.26
O2 cost of walking vs bone mineral density (BMD) (rs; p = 0.013)
−0.31
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Association of O2 cost of walking with gait, disability and physical activity
- Shorter step length (rs; p = 0.001)
- −0.40
- Slower cadence (rs; p = 0.002)
- −0.38
- Higher disability status (rs; p < 0.001)
- 0.44
- Not associated with physical activity
Body composition vs gait, physical activity and disability
- Body composition metrics were not associated with gait parameters, physical activity or disability status
Original publication
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