Effects of swimming and walking on aspects related to the health of police officers

Resumen

The present study aimed to compare the effects of swimming and walking after 24 weeks of training on anthropometric indicators of obesity, physical activity, coronary risk and health-related quality of life among military police officers of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The sample included 51 military police officers (male) whose ages ranged from 22 to 49 years, with a mean age of 35.53 ± 7.63 years, and who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study, which was conducted between the months of June and December 2012. The subjects were interviewed to collect demographic and occupational data as well as anthropometry, physical activity level and health. The volunteers were divided into the following three groups according to their preference: swimming experimental group (n = 24), walking experimental group (n = 24), and control group (n = 24). Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive analysis, oneway and two-way ANOVAs followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test, Student’s t-test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test followed by Bonferroni’s correction, the Wilcoxon test and Cohen’s d test. After 24 weeks of training, the waist circumference, conicity index, waist-to-height ratio, physical activity at work, vigorous activities and coronary risk were significantly different in the swimming group, and the percentages of fat, lean mass and fat mass were significantly different in the walking group. The swimming exercise program contributed to significant reductions in waist circumference, conicity index, the waist-to-height ratio and coronary risk and to increased levels of physical activity at work and vigorous activities. In addition, the walking exercise program contributed to significant reductions in relative body fat and fat mass and increased lean mass among military police officers.