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 .
Exercise training of men at retirement: a clinical trial.
The effects of one year of exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness , levels of daily leisure activity , and blood lipids ( cholesterol and high density lipoproteins ) were studied in a prospect i ve , r and omized clinical trial . Two hundred and twenty-four men aged 55 to 65 years volunteered for the study and were r and omly allocated to a control ( n = 111 ) or an activity ( n = 113 ) group with stratification on blue or white collar job classification . After the attrition due to loss to follow-up , 100 men remained in each of the control and activity groups . The exercising men met an average of 2.5 times per week over the year and their VO2 max or peak VO2 ( ml X kg-1 X min-1 ) increased significantly ( p = .001 , 11 % ) compared with controls . There were no significant changes in maximal heart rate ( 155 bpm ) and respiratory exchange ratio ( 1.1 ) , although ventilation ( 80 to 90 l X min-1 ) increased significantly in the trained group . In addition , the VO2 at a heart rate of 125 bpm increased significantly ( p less than .001 ) in the trained group ( 14.7 % ) over that observed in the control ( 1.9 % ) . There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to the remaining end-points
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 .