Prediction of Six-Minute Walk Performance among Healthy North Indian Adult Males: The Influence of Obesity Indices

Introduction: Six-minute walk test (6MWT) is an easy evaluation method for functional capacity and treatment efficacy. No universally acceptable standard predicting equation for the distance walked in 6MWT (6MWD) exists for Indians. Hence the study was an attempt in understanding significant predictors of 6MWD and influence of obesity indices on it. Material and Methods: Physical activity (PAR); anthropometric variables like height (HT), weight (WT), including obesity indices like waist-hip ratio (WHR); resting heart rate and blood pressure (rHR and rBP); and 6MWD and heart rate recovery (HRR) were evaluated in 40 healthy adult North Indian males. Results: 6MWD had significant negative correlation with age, WT, obesity indices, rHR and rBP; and positive correlation with HRR and PAR. Subjects with increased obesity indices had lower 6MWD and HRR, and higher rHR and rBP. Among the generated equations, 6MWD=10.52+6.06(HT)2.4(WT)+26.87(PAR)-358.84(WHR) had the highest adjusted R2(96.23%) with all the four predictors having significant unique contribution. Conclusions: Subjects with increased obesity indices had lower 6MWD & HRR, and higher rHR & rBP. HT, WT, PAR and WHR were the significant predictors of 6MWD. Hence, decreasing weight and WHR, and increasing physical activity would result in improvement of six-minute walk performance.