Effects of Buddhism walking meditation on depression, functional fitness, and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in depressed elderly.
Susaree Prakhinkit, Siriluck Suppapitiporn, Hirofumi Tanaka, Daroonwan Suksom
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2013.0205 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized exercise intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 45 |
| Population | Elderly adults aged 60-90 years with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms |
| Interventions | Buddhist walking meditation Traditional walking exercise |
| Duration | 12 weeks, 3 times/week |
| Topics | Buddhism Depression Meditation |
| Key points | Buddhist walking meditation reduced depression scores and improved functional fitness and vascular reactivity, with greater overall improvements than traditional walking exercise. |
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the novel Buddhism-based walking meditation (BWM) and the traditional walking exercise (TWE) on depression, functional fitness, and vascular reactivity. This was a randomized exercise intervention study. The study was conducted in a university hospital setting. Forty-five elderly participants aged 60-90 years with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms were randomly allocated to the sedentary control, TWE, and BWM groups. The BWM program was based on aerobic walking exercise incorporating the Buddhist meditations performed 3 times/week for 12 weeks. Depression score, functional fitness, and endothelium-dependent vasodilation as measured by the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were the outcome measures used. Muscle strength, flexibility, agility, dynamic balance, and cardiorespiratory endurance increased in both exercise groups (p<0.05). Depression score decreased (p<0.05) only in the BWM group. FMD improved (p<0.05) in both exercise groups. Significant reduction in plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and C-reactive protein were found in both exercise groups, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, cortisol, and interleukin-6 concentrations decreased only in the BWM group. Buddhist walking meditation was effective in reducing depression, improving functional fitness and vascular reactivity, and appears to confer greater overall improvements than the traditional walking program.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on buddhism, most cited first.
Citations in the library
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