Abstract
Background and Study Aim. Regular physical activity is associated with health-related quality of life and functional capacity in middle-aged adults. Although different forms of physical activity are used to support health and functional performance in middle-aged adults, the relative effects of a structured Nordic Walking program compared with standard physical activity recommendations remain of practical interest. This study aimed to evaluate whether 12 weeks of Nordic Walking improved quality of life and functional capacity compared with standard physical activity recommendations in insufficiently active adults aged 40–59 years. Materials and Methods. Seventy-eight participants (41 women, 37 men) were randomized to Nordic Walking or control groups. The intervention comprised three supervised 50-min sessions weekly. SF-36, HADS, 6MWT, TUG, anthropometric, blood pressure, and resting heart-rate outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. The per-protocol analysis included 72 completers (experimental group, n = 34; control group, n = 38). Individual change scores were compared using Welch’s t-test. Results. The Nordic Walking group showed greater improvements in SF-36 physical functioning (between-group difference, 9.3 points; 95% CI 3.22–15.38; p = 0.003), vitality (7.8; 1.78–13.82; p = 0.012), social functioning (8.7; 1.64–15.76; p = 0.017), mental health (6.3; 0.25–12.36; p = 0.042), 6MWT distance (40.0 m; 14.88–65.12; p = 0.002), and TUG time (−0.9 s; −1.64 to −0.16; p = 0.018). Between-group differences in HADS scores, anthropometric outcomes, systolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate were not significant. No serious intervention-related adverse events occurred; five participants reported transient muscle pain. Conclusions. Among study completers, a structured 12-week Nordic Walking program was associated with improvements in quality of life and functional capacity compared with standard physical activity recommendations in insufficiently active middle-aged adults. These findings support the use of Nordic Walking as a structured physical activity approach for improving quality of life and functional performance in this population.