Overweight , ObesityNCT07477262
Health Effects of a Walking Program in a High-Quality Tourism Environment for Older Women
A study testing Walking Program in Natural Tourism Environment and Walking Program in Conventional Institutional Environment in people with Overweight , Obesity, run by Yu-fan Li at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effect of environmental context on the health benefits of a standardized walking program in sedentary, overweight older women (aged ≥60 years, BMI ≥24.0 kg/m²) . Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 75 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Overweight , Obesity
- What is being tested?
- Walking Program in Natural Tourism Environment and Walking Program in Conventional Institutional Environment
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 25 May 2024to 20 Dec 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 to 75 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Female sex.
- Age ≥ 60 years.
- Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 24.0 kg/m² (consistent with Chinese criteria for overweight status).
- Sedentary lifestyle, defined as engaging in < 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week over the preceding 6 months.
- Ability to walk independently without assistive devices.
- Sufficient cognitive capacity to understand the study protocol and provide written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Severe or uncontrolled cardiometabolic conditions (e.g., heart failure, unstable angina).
- Musculoskeletal disorders contraindicating exercise.
- Major psychiatric disorders.
- Planned extended absence during the 10-week intervention period.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
China1 site
Guangxi Residential Elderly Care Demonstration Base
Guilin, Guangxi, 541004
About this study
Official title: Amplifying Healthy Aging: How A High-Quality Tourism Environment (Yangshuo, China) Selectively Enhanced Exercise Outcomes for Older Women - A Randomized Controlled Trial
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effect of environmental context on the health benefits of a standardized walking program in sedentary, overweight older women (aged ≥60 years, BMI ≥24.0 kg/m²) . The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does exercising in a high-quality natural tourism environment (Yangshuo) lead to greater improvements in body composition (e.g., body fat percentage) compared to exercising in a conventional institutional setting?
Read more
Does this environment lead to greater improvements in psychological well-being (e.g., depressive symptoms, sleep quality) than the conventional setting?
Researchers will compare a group that walks in the Yangshuo landscape to a group that performs the same walking regimen in a nursing home setting to see if the natural environment amplifies the health benefits of the exercise.
Participants in both groups will take part in a supervised, 10-week walking program (5 days/week, 60 mins/session). All participants will have their physiological (e.g., weight, body fat, strength) and psychological (e.g., mood, sleep, quality of life) health measured before and after the program.
- Conditions
- Overweight , Obesity
- Being tested
- Walking Program in Natural Tourism Environment, Walking Program in Conventional Institutional Environment
- Keywords
- hiking, walking
- Medical subject headings
- Overweight, Obesity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Walking Program in Natural Tourism EnvironmentBehavioural
A 10-week supervised walking program conducted in the high-quality natural tourism environment of Yangshuo. Participants are accommodated in a local homestay with direct views of the iconic karst mountains. Walking sessions are conducted on pre-selected, scenic, low-traffic riverside paths. The program consists of group walking 5 days/week, 60 mins/session, at a target intensity of 60-70% heart rate reserve, objectively monitored using Polar H10 chest-worn heart rate sensors.
Walking Program in Conventional Institutional EnvironmentBehavioural
A 10-week supervised walking program conducted in a standard institutional setting. Participants reside in a local nursing home with views of institutional buildings or internal courtyards. Walking sessions are conducted on pre-measured, paved urban streets surrounding the nursing home. The program consists of group walking 5 days/week, 60 mins/session, at a target intensity of 60-70% heart rate reserve, objectively monitored using Polar H10 chest-worn heart rate sensors to match the exercise dose with the experimental group.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental: Natural Environment Group (NCE) | Experimental | Participants in this group will complete a 10-week supervised walking program (5 days/week, 60 mins/session) conducted along scenic riverside paths in the Yangshuo karst landscape. They will be accommodated in a local homestay with direct views of the mountains. Exercise intensity is targeted at 60-70% of heart rate reserve, monitored by Polar H10 sensors. Receives: Behavioral: Walking Program in Natural Tourism Environment |
| Active Comparator: Conventional Environment Group (CCE) | Active comparator | Participants in this group will complete an identical 10-week supervised walking program (5 days/week, 60 mins/session) conducted on paved urban streets surrounding a local nursing home. They will reside in their usual accommodation within the nursing home. Exercise intensity is targeted at 60-70% of heart rate reserve, monitored by Polar H10 sensors. Receives: Behavioral: Walking Program in Conventional Institutional Environment |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Body Weight
Measured in kilograms (kg) using a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis device (InBody 770) under standardized conditions.
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)
Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²). Height measured at baseline using a stadiometer; weight measured at each time point using the InBody 770 device.
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Body Fat Percentage
Measured as percentage (%) of total body weight using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody 770) under standardized conditions.
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Lower-body Muscular Endurance
Assessed by the 30-second chair stand test, measuring the number of full stands completed in 30 seconds from a seated position. Higher numbers indicate better lower-body muscular endurance.
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Handgrip Strength
Measured in kilograms (kg) using a calibrated handgrip dynamometer. Participants performed the test with their dominant hand, and the best of two trials was recorded. Higher values indicate greater handgrip strength.
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Depressive Symptoms
Assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) . This 20-item scale measures the frequency of depressive symptoms experienced in the past week. Total scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms (a worse outcome) .
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in State Anxiety
Assessed using the State subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) . This 20-item scale measures transient anxious emotional states at the moment of assessment. Total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher levels of state anxiety (a worse outcome) .
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Mental Health-Related Quality of Life
Assessed using the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) . This score is a standardized T-score based on normative data, with a population mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. Higher scores indicate better mental health-related quality of life (a better outcome) .
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Sleep Quality
Assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) . This 19-item instrument assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period. The global score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality (a worse outcome) . A global score >5 is indicative of poor sleep quality.
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Change in Perceived Mastery
Assessed using the Pearlin-Schooler Mastery Scale. This 7-item scale measures the extent to which individuals perceive themselves as having personal control over factors that significantly impact their lives. Total scores range from 7 to 28, with higher scores indicating a stronger sense of personal mastery (a better outcome) .
Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Mar 2026
- Study start25 May 2024
- Primary completion15 Oct 2024
- Study completion20 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Overweight , ObesityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Yu-fan Li
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Yu-fan Li, Guilin Tourism University
- Investigators
- yu-fan Li, Principal investigator, Guilin Tourism University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07477262
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- GTU [2024] No. 29
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 17 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: IPD will not be shared publicly to protect participant privacy and confidentiality, as the informed consent did not include provisions for public data sharing. De-identified aggregate data supporting the findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Amplifying Healthy Aging: How A High-Quality Tourism Environment (Yangshuo, China) Selectively Enhanced Exercise Outcomes for Older Women - A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07477262
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- GTU [2024] No. 29
- Conditions
- Overweight , Obesity
- Keywords
- hiking, walking
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Yu-fan LiUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 25 May 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effect of environmental context on the health benefits of a standardized walking program in sedentary, overweight older women (aged ≥60 years, BMI ≥24.0 kg/m²) . The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does exercising in a high-quality natural tourism environment (Yangshuo) lead to greater improvements in body composition (e.g., body fat percentage) compared to exercising in a conventional institutional setting?
Does this environment lead to greater improvements in psychological well-being (e.g., depressive symptoms, sleep quality) than the conventional setting?
Researchers will compare a group that walks in the Yangshuo landscape to a group that performs the same walking regimen in a nursing home setting to see if the natural environment amplifies the health benefits of the exercise.
Participants in both groups will take part in a supervised, 10-week walking program (5 days/week, 60 mins/session). All participants will have their physiological (e.g., weight, body fat, strength) and psychological (e.g., mood, sleep, quality of life) health measured before and after the program.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental: Natural Environment Group (NCE) | Experimental | Behavioral: Walking Program in Natural Tourism EnvironmentParticipants in this group will complete a 10-week supervised walking program (5 days/week, 60 mins/session) conducted along scenic riverside paths in the Yangshuo karst landscape. They will be accommodated in a local homestay with direct views of the mountains. Exercise intensity is targeted at 60-70% of heart rate reserve, monitored by Polar H10 sensors. |
| Active Comparator: Conventional Environment Group (CCE) | Active comparator | Behavioral: Walking Program in Conventional Institutional EnvironmentParticipants in this group will complete an identical 10-week supervised walking program (5 days/week, 60 mins/session) conducted on paved urban streets surrounding a local nursing home. They will reside in their usual accommodation within the nursing home. Exercise intensity is targeted at 60-70% of heart rate reserve, monitored by Polar H10 sensors. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 to 75 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Female sex.
- Age ≥ 60 years.
- Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 24.0 kg/m² (consistent with Chinese criteria for overweight status).
- Sedentary lifestyle, defined as engaging in < 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week over the preceding 6 months.
- Ability to walk independently without assistive devices.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Severe or uncontrolled cardiometabolic conditions (e.g., heart failure, unstable angina).
- Musculoskeletal disorders contraindicating exercise.
- Major psychiatric disorders.
- Planned extended absence during the 10-week intervention period.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Walking Program in Natural Tourism EnvironmentA 10-week supervised walking program conducted in the high-quality natural tourism environment of Yangshuo. Participants are accommodated in a local homestay with direct views of the iconic karst mountains. Walking sessions are conducted on pre-selected, scenic, low-traffic riverside paths. The program consists of group walking 5 days/week, 60 mins/session, at a target intensity of 60-70% heart rate reserve, objectively monitored using Polar H10 chest-worn heart rate sensors. | Behavioural | Experimental: Natural Environment Group (NCE) |
| Walking Program in Conventional Institutional EnvironmentA 10-week supervised walking program conducted in a standard institutional setting. Participants reside in a local nursing home with views of institutional buildings or internal courtyards. Walking sessions are conducted on pre-measured, paved urban streets surrounding the nursing home. The program consists of group walking 5 days/week, 60 mins/session, at a target intensity of 60-70% heart rate reserve, objectively monitored using Polar H10 chest-worn heart rate sensors to match the exercise dose with the experimental group. | Behavioural | Active Comparator: Conventional Environment Group (CCE) |
Primary outcome
Change in Body Weight
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Measured in kilograms (kg) using a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis device (InBody 770) under standardized conditions.
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²). Height measured at baseline using a stadiometer; weight measured at each time point using the InBody 770 device.
Change in Body Fat Percentage
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Measured as percentage (%) of total body weight using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody 770) under standardized conditions.
Change in Lower-body Muscular Endurance
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Assessed by the 30-second chair stand test, measuring the number of full stands completed in 30 seconds from a seated position. Higher numbers indicate better lower-body muscular endurance.
Change in Handgrip Strength
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Measured in kilograms (kg) using a calibrated handgrip dynamometer. Participants performed the test with their dominant hand, and the best of two trials was recorded. Higher values indicate greater handgrip strength.
Change in Depressive Symptoms
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) . This 20-item scale measures the frequency of depressive symptoms experienced in the past week. Total scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms (a worse outcome) .
Change in State Anxiety
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Assessed using the State subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) . This 20-item scale measures transient anxious emotional states at the moment of assessment. Total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher levels of state anxiety (a worse outcome) .
Change in Mental Health-Related Quality of Life
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Assessed using the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) . This score is a standardized T-score based on normative data, with a population mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. Higher scores indicate better mental health-related quality of life (a better outcome) .
Change in Sleep Quality
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) . This 19-item instrument assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period. The global score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality (a worse outcome) . A global score >5 is indicative of poor sleep quality.
Change in Perceived Mastery
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)
Assessed using the Pearlin-Schooler Mastery Scale. This 7-item scale measures the extent to which individuals perceive themselves as having personal control over factors that significantly impact their lives. Total scores range from 7 to 28, with higher scores indicating a stronger sense of personal mastery (a better outcome) .
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. IPD will not be shared publicly to protect participant privacy and confidentiality, as the informed consent did not include provisions for public data sharing. De-identified aggregate data supporting the findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
yu-fan Li principal investigator
Guilin Tourism University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Walking Program in Natural Tourism Environment and Walking Program in Conventional Institutional Environment in people with Overweight , Obesity, run by Yu-fan Li at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Body Weight (time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and within one week post-intervention (Week 10)). The study lists 10 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Mar 2026.