Methods of Promoting Physical Activity

SBU’s Conclusions

Advice and Counselling

• Advice and counselling of patients in everyday clinical practice increases physical activity by 12–50% for at least six months after the counselling session (Evidence Grade 1).
• More frequent, intensive counselling by means of repeated sessions for several months additionally boosts physical activity (Evidence Grade 3).
• Counselling supplemented by prescribed physical activity, diaries, pedometers, informational brochures, etc, increases activity by another 15–50% (Evidence Grade 3).

Supervised Exercise in Group and Individualized Programs

• A six-month group exercise program for patients with coronary artery disease promotes physical activity (Evidence Grade 3).
• A six-month supervised exercise program for patients with peripheral arterial disease increases physical activity in terms of walking distance and/or time (Evidence Grade 3).

Health Economic Aspects

• The availability of health economic studies that address the project’s questions is highly limited, permitting no conclusions about the cost-effectiveness of the methods under consideration.