BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of walking on resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults. METHODS: A total of 24 primary outcomes from 16 studies and 650 subjects (410 exercise, 240 control) met the criteria for inclusion: (1) randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, (2) walking as the only intervention, (3) subjects apparently sedentary, (4) adult humans >= 18 years of age, (5) English-language studies published between January 1966 and December 1998, (6) resting blood pressure assessed, (7) training studies >= 4 weeks. RESULTS: Using a random effects model, statistically significant decreases of approximately 2% were found for both resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic, mean +/- SEM, -3 +/- 1 mmHg, 95% confidence interval -5 to -2 mmHg; diastolic, mean +/- SEM -2 +/- 1 mmHg, 95% confidence interval -3 to -1 mmHg). CONCLUSION: Walking exercise programs reduce resting blood pressure in adults.
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