The heterogeneity in reported effects was reduced in higher quality studies , when physical activity was self-directed with some professional guidance and when there was on-going professional support .
Our review suggests that physical activity interventions have a moderate effect on self reported physical activity and cardio-respiratory fitness , but not on achieving a predetermined level of physical activity .
Due to the clinical and statistical heterogeneity of the studies , only limited conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of individual components of the interventions .
BACKGROUND Little is known about the effectiveness of strategies to enable people to achieve an increase in their physical activity .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of interventions for promoting physical activity in adults aged 16 years and older , not living in an institution .
Cost-effectiveness of a primary care based physical activity intervention in 45-74 year old men and women: a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE To assess the cost-effectiveness of a primary care based intervention aim ed at increasing levels of physical activity in inactive people aged 45 - 74 . METHODS A total of 714 inactive people aged 45 - 74 , taken from two west London general practice s , were r and omised into two groups . Intervention subjects were invited to a consultation with an exercise development officer , and offered a personalised 10 week programme to increase their level of regular physical activity , combining leisure centre and home based activities . Control subjects were sent information on local leisure centres . All subjects were followed up at eight months . RESULTS There was a net 10.6 % ( 95 % confidence interval 4.5 to 16.9 % ) reduction in the proportion of people classified as sedentary in the intervention group compared with the control group , eight months after the intervention . The intervention group also reported an increase in the mean number of episodes of physical activity per week , as compared with the control group ( an additional 1.52 episodes ( 95 % confidence interval 1.14 to 1.95 ) ) . The cost of moving a person out of the sedentary group was shown to be less than 650 Pounds . The cost of moving someone to the now commonly recommended level was estimated at almost 2500 Pounds . CONCLUSIONS Moderate physical activity can be successfully encouraged in previously sedentary men and women aged 45 - 74 through a primary care based intervention . The process of recruitment was the most important variable cost . A high uptake rate would maximise cost-effectiveness , and sensitivity analysis suggests that unit costs could be halved with a more effective recruitment strategy
The heterogeneity in reported effects was reduced in higher quality studies , when physical activity was self-directed with some professional guidance and when there was on-going professional support .
Our review suggests that physical activity interventions have a moderate effect on self reported physical activity and cardio-respiratory fitness , but not on achieving a predetermined level of physical activity .
Due to the clinical and statistical heterogeneity of the studies , only limited conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of individual components of the interventions .
BACKGROUND Little is known about the effectiveness of strategies to enable people to achieve an increase in their physical activity .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of interventions for promoting physical activity in adults aged 16 years and older , not living in an institution .