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 mail-mediated, stage-matched exercise behavior change strategies on female adults' leisure-time exercise behavior.
This study compared three forms of mail-mediated exercise behavior change strategies on the weekly leisure time exercise behavior of individuals at different stages of exercise ( SOE ) . Subjects were 113 healthy females , 22 to 50 years old ( M = 36.9 ) . After being classified by SOE , subjects were r and omly assigned to receive one of three treatments : lifestyle exercise packet ( LEP ) ; structured exercise packet ( SEP ) ; or control packet . Packets were mailed to subjects at their worksite . After 31-days , 108 ( 95 % ) subjects responded to a query about their previous week 's leisure-time exercise behavior . A 3 ( SOE ) x3 ( Exercise group ) x2 ( Time ) REANOVA revealed main effects for SOE ( p < 0.0001 ) , exercise group ( p < 0.05 ) , and time ( p < 0.0001 ) . No significant interactions were observed . Post-hoc testing showed that those in the action/maintenance stages differed from those in the preparation and precontemplation/contemplation stages ( p < 0.01 ) , and that LEP subjects reported significantly more weekly leisure-time exercise post-intervention compared to controls ( p < 0.01 ) . These findings suggest the LEP was the most effective strategy for encouraging weekly leisure-time exercise . Future research should be directed at corroborating these findings and determining the potential long-term value of this strategy in comparison to more traditional strategies
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 .