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 .
Physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors: effect of advice from an exercise specialist in Australian general practice.
OBJECTIVE To determine whether provision of individualised physical activity advice by an exercise specialist in general practice is effective in modifying physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors  in older adults . DESIGN R and omised controlled trial of individualised physical activity advice , reinforced at three and six months ( intervention ) versus no advice ( control ) . SETTING Two general practice s in Adelaide , South Australia , 1996 . PARTICIPANTS 299 adults aged 60 years or more who were healthy , sedentary and living in the community . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes to physical activity ( frequency and duration of walking and vigorous exercise ) , selected cardiovascular risk factors ( blood pressure , body weight , serum lipid levels ) and quality of life over 12 months . RESULTS Self-reported physical activity increased over the 12 months in both groups ( P < 0.001 ) . The increase was greater for the intervention than the control group for all measures except time spent walking ( P < 0.05 ) . More intervention than control participants increased their intention to exercise ( P < 0.001 ) . Serum levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides fell significantly over the 12 months to a similar extent in the two groups . No other significant changes in cardiovascular risk factors were seen . Quality -of-life scores decreased over the 12 months . The decrease was significantly greater among intervention than control women , but not men , for emotional well-being ( P = 0.02 ) , physical well-being ( P = 0.04 ) and social functioning ( P = 0.04 ) . DISCUSSION Provision of general practice -based physical activity advice reinforced three-monthly produced a sustained increase in self-reported physical activity . However , there were no associated changes in clinical measures of cardiovascular risk factors and minimal changes in quality -of-life measures
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 .