Cent Eur J Public Health 2026, 34(2):80-87 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8661

Comparing step count strategies: the impact of walking on cardiometabolic health in women with obesity

Merve Kal^{1, 2}, Nazime Cebi³, Meral Kucuk Yetgin^{4, 5}

¹ Department of Physical Education and Sports, Marmara University Institute of Health Science, Istanbul,Türkiye

² Obesity Centre, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Türkiye

³ Department of Medical Biochemistry, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Türkiye

⁴ Department of Coaching Education, Sport Health Sciences, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Marmara University, Istanbul, Türkiye

⁵ Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington, IN, USA

Objectives: This study aims to compare the effect of 10 thousand steps per day (10TSPD) and 3 thousand steps per 30 minutes (30M3TS) supported by medical nutritional therapy on body composition, 6-minute walking distance (6MWT), cardio-metabolic parameters comprising insulin, glucose, glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol in women with obesity.

Methods: Thirty women with obesity supported by individual-specific medical nutrition therapy were divided into two groups with a target (10TSPD) at a frequency of 3-5 days/week and (30M3TS) per 30 minutes in a single session and followed up with a pedometer at the end of 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, body compositions were analysed, 6MWT values were determined and blood samples were taken.

Results: Glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR significantly decreased in the 10TSPD group (p < 0.05), while no significant metabolic changes were observed in the 30M3TS group. No significant between-group differences were observed in metabolic parameters (p > 0.05). Body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body fat mass and percentage, and waist and hip circumferences decreased significantly in both groups (p < 0.05), whereas lean body mass and muscle mass did not change significantly. The 6MWT distance increased in both groups (p = 0.01), with no significant difference between groups.

Conclusions: Both 10TSPD and 30M3TS walking protocols combined with nutritional therapy improved body composition and walking performance in women with obesity, primarily through reductions in adiposity, while lean body mass and muscle mass remained unchanged. Metabolic improvements were observed only in the 10TSPD group; however, no significant between-group differences were detected.

Klíčová slova: obesity, walking, step count, insulin resistance, lipids, nutrition

Vloženo: 15. květen 2025; Revidováno: 12. únor 2026; Přijato: 12. únor 2026; Zveřejněno: 30. červen 2026  Zobrazit citaci