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 .
Six-month physical activity and fitness changes in Project Active, a randomized trial.
PURPOSE Project Active is a r and omized clinical trial ( N = 235 ) comparing a lifestyle physical activity program with a structured exercise program in changing physical activity ( total energy expenditure [ kcal.kg-1.d-1 ] ) and cardiorespiratory fitness ( VO2peak in mL.kg-1.min-1 ) . METHODS Sedentary but healthy adults ( N = 235 ) aged 35 - 60 years received 6 months of intensive intervention . RESULTS Analysis of covariance ( ANCOVA ) , adjusting for baseline measure , age , gender , body mass index ( BMI ) , cohort , and ethnicity , showed that at 6 months both lifestyle and structured groups significantly increased energy expenditure over baseline ( P < 0.001 ) . The mean increases + /- SE , 1.53 + /- 0.19 kcal.kg-1.d-1 for the lifestyle group and 1.34 + /- 0.20 kcal.kg-1 d-1 for the structured group , were not significantly different between groups ( P = 0.49 ) . For cardiorespiratory fitness , both groups had significant increases from baseline ( P < 0.001 ) . Mean increases + /- SE were 1.58 + /- 0.33 mL.kg-1.min-1 and 3.64 + /- 0.33 mL.kg-1.min-1 for the lifestyle and structured groups , respectively . This was significantly greater in the structured group ( P < 0.001 ) . We also studied changes in intensity of physical activity . Both groups significantly increased moderate intensity activity from baseline , but the increase was significantly greater in the lifestyle group than the structured group ( P = 0.02 ) . In contrast , the structured group increased its hard activity more than the lifestyle group , but the difference was not significantly different ( P = 0.02 ) . In contrast , the structured group increased its hard increased ( P < 0.01 ) for both groups by 0.25 kcal.kg-1.d-1 . CONCLUSION Both intervention approaches are effective for increasing physical activity and fitness over a 6-month period in initially sedentary men and women
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 .