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 .
The Working Healthy Project: a worksite health-promotion trial targeting physical activity, diet, and smoking.
Worksites are a key channel for delivery of interventions design ed to reduce chronic disease among adult population s. Although some evaluations of worksite physical-activity interventions have been conducted , to date very few r and omized trials of worksite health promotion have included the goal of increasing physical-activity levels as part of a comprehensive multiple risk factor approach to worksite health promotion . This article presents the results regarding behavior change found among the cohort of 2055 individuals who completed three health-behavior assessment s as part of their worksites ' participation in The Working Healthy Project ( WHP ) , a multiple risk factor intervention implemented in 26 manufacturing worksites . In this study , a r and omized matched-pair design was used . Fifty-one percent ( n = 2,761 ) of the employees who completed the baseline assessment also completed the interim survey . Eighty-three percent of those who completed the interim assessment also completed the final survey . The WHP intervention targeted smoking , nutrition , and physical activity . At baseline , 38 % of the sample reported engaging in regular exercise , and subjects reported consuming an average of 2.7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day , 7.9 grams of fiber per 1000 kilocalories , and 35.4 % calories from fat per day ; 28 % of the sample were smokers . By the time of both the interim ( intervention midpoint ) and final ( end of intervention ) assessment s , participants in the intervention condition had significantly increased their exercise behavior , compared with the control condition . There was also increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and fiber in the intervention condition by the time of the final assessment , compared with the control condition . No differences by condition were found with regard to percentage of calories from fat consumed or smoking cessation . These results suggest that among a cohort of participants in a worksite health promotion study , there were significant health behavior changes across two risk factors over time . These data suggest that further investigation of multiple risk factor worksite health promotion is warranted , particularly with a focus on ways to increase participation in these programs and to diffuse intervention effects throughout the entire workforce
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 .