T. Paillard, Service de Medecine Interne et Gerontologie Clinique, Hopital La Grave-Casselardit, Pavillon Junod, 170 avenue de Casselardit, 31300 Toulouse, France. Tel : 05 61 77 76 74 o Email: DEACES.CG12@wanadoo.fr
C. Lafont M.C. Costes-Salon P. Dupui D. Rivière B. Vellas

The effects of a walking training programme were assesed on 10 healthy, active men aged 63-69 years. Serum lipids, pulse and blood pressure, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and anthropometric parameters, were measured before and after this programme. There was a significant fall in LDL (p<0.02) and mean diastolic BP (p<0.005). In spite of the subjects's initial good level of fitness there was still an 8% rise in the mean VO2 max of the group. There was also a significant loss of body fat (P<0.01). These positive physiological effects suggest that brisk walking can be considered as a a useful activity for improving the fitness and general health in this age-range. Nutrition, elderly, walking training, lactate threshold, elderly, VO2 max, lipoproteins, body composition, aging.