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 .
Effects of walking training on health-related fitness in healthy middle-aged adults--a randomized controlled study.
The effects of walking training on VO2max , serum lipoproteins and plasma fibrinogen were studied in 119 healthy middle-aged persons . Training prescription was 65 - 75 % of VO2max , 50 min/session , four times a week for 15 weeks . The net difference ( between pre-posttraining changes in the walking and control group ) was statistically significant for VO2max ( 0.14 l .min-1 , 95 % CI 0.04 , 0.23 ) , total cholesterol ( -0.20 mmol.l-1 , CI -0.34 , -0.06 ) , LDL cholesterol ( -0.17 mmol.l-1 , CI -0.29 , -0.05 ) , ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol ( 0.014 , CI 0.005 , 0.023 ) , and triglycerides ( -0.15 mmol.l-1 , CI -0.26 , -0.04 ) . No statistically significant changes occurred in fibrinogen . The findings indicate that walking training of moderate intensity result ed in a modest increase in VO2max and minor but consistently favorable changes in serum lipoproteins
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 .