A pilot study using a small-sided games program to modify cardiovascular health in sedentary Indigenous men
Publication Name
Health Promotion Journal of Australia
Abstract
Issues addressed: To determine cardiovascular health benefits in Indigenous men following short-duration small-sided games. Methods: Fourteen sedentary Indigenous males (35.6 SD 7.2 years), randomly assigned to a small-sided games (SSG) or a non-exercising control. Small-sided 20-minute (4 × 5 minute bouts) games of touch football were played 2 x/week for 9 weeks. Waist and hip circumferences, height, total body mass (kg), fat (%), fat free mass (kg), muscle mass (kg), resting heart rate (bpm), systolic blood pressure (mmHg), total cholesterol and high-density lipid concentrations were measured and waist-hip ratios, body mass index (BMI), heart rate variability (HRV), metabolic age and Framingham risk calculated before and after the exercise intervention. Between group differences were examined using unpaired t tests (welch corrected) and described using Cohen's effect size (ES) differences (corrected to determine hedges g). Results: Significant between group differences favouring the SSG group were observed in body mass (P =.039, ES = 0.18), BMI (P =.031, ES = 0.22) and metabolic age (P =.033, ES = 0.29) and in HRV parameters of approximate entropy (ApEN; P =.01, ES = 1.65) and sample entropy (SampEN; P =.0193, ES = 1.40). Conclusion: Middle-aged Indigenous men can gain cardiovascular health benefits following short bouts of small-sided game play accumulating in 40-minutes of exercise each week. So what?: Short-duration SSG may address many exercise barriers, and offer a sustainable form of exercise to improve cardiovascular health amongst Indigenous men.
Open Access Status
This publication is not available as open access
Volume
32
Issue
S2
First Page
72
Last Page
77
Funding Sponsor
National Heart Foundation of Australia