Walking Football Programme for Elderly People: Study Protocol

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a Walking Football (WF) programme on physical fitness, body composition, health-related quality of life (QoL), and happiness in men and women over 60 years. WF is proposed as a safe and accessible activity to counteract physical inactivity and chronic conditions in ageing populations. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 120 participants (both sexes), assigned to either an experimental group (WF intervention) or a wait-list control group. The six-month intervention includes bi-weekly sessions with skills training, match simulations, and fitness exercises. Assessments will be performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Primary outcome measures will be: body composition (weight, BMI, fat and lean mass), muscular strength, aerobic endurance, agility, range of motion, and subjective well-being (QoL and happiness scales). Linear mixed-effects models and ANCOVA will be used to analyse the data. It is expected that WF will lead to improvements in physical and mental health, contributing to active ageing. This study may also support WF as a tool for social inclusion and well-being in older adults.