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 .
Effectiveness of counselling over 1 year on changes in lifestyle and coronary heart disease risk factors.
Many have studied the effects of different lifestyles on disease , mortality or risk factors for a disease , but little is known about how behaviour is changed in the population . We studied the need for counselling and its effect on willingness and ability to change lifestyle , and subsequent changes in CHD risk factors .  All 152 male employees in a computer company , 25 - 45 years of age , were invited to participate . Subjects were r and omized into an intervention group ( I-group ) and a control group . The I-group was divided into subgroups based on baseline behaviour and risk factor status . Changes were evaluated after 1 year . After an initial health examination , participants from the I-group were counselled at baseline and after 5 months . Eighty-five ( 56 % ) males participated . Twenty-nine were assigned to a control group and 56 to an intervention group ( I-group ) ( dropout = 8) . An exercise group ( E-group ) was advised to exercise aerobically three times/week , a diet group to reduce the intake of saturated fat and increase fish products , and smokers to quit smoking . Forty subjects were recommended one or more behavioural changes and eight had no need . Thirty-four were willing to make behavioural changes . Compared to the control group , the fitness level increased ( P < 0.01 ) and body weight decreased in the I-group ( P < 0.05 ) . It may be concluded that individual counselling promotes regular exercise with subsequent improvements in CHD risk factors . The diet- and smoking counselling models were less successful in terms of adherence
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 .