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Methods of Promoting Physical Activity

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SBU Assessment

Presents a comprehensive, systematic assessment of available scientific evidence for effects on health, social welfare or disability. Full assessments include economic, social and ethical impact analyses. Assessment teams include professional practitioners and academics. Before publication the report is reviewed by external experts, and scientific conclusions approved by the SBU Board of Directors.

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Published: Report no: 181

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.

How to cite this report: SBU. Methods of promoting physical activity. Stockholm: Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU); 2007. SBU report no 181 (in Swedish).

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