Effect of individual counseling on physical activity fitness and health: a randomized controlled trial in a workplace setting. Exercise at an onsite facility with or without direct exercise supervision improves health‐related physical fitness and exercise participation: An 8‐week randomised controlled trial with 15‐month follow‐up Alcohol consumption and cardiorespiratory fitness in five population-based studies Comparison of lifestyle and structured interventions to increase physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness: a randomized trial. Dose-Response of Aerobic Exercise on Cognition: A Community-Based, Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial A Home- and Community-Based Physical Activity Program Can Improve the Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Walking Capacity of Stroke Survivors. Moderately intense physical activities and high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness reduce the risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in middle-aged men. The influence of high-intensity compared with moderate-intensity exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in colorectal cancer survivors: a randomised controlled trial Relationships among fitness, body composition, and physical activity. Various intensities of leisure time physical activity in patients with coronary artery disease: effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and progression of coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Correlates of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness among Brazilian adolescents.
BACKGROUND Physical inactivity and obesity are major public health problems . Our objective was to investigate the effectiveness of an individual counseling intervention at the workplace on physical activity fitness and health . Counseling content derived from the Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling for Exercise and Nutrition ( PACE ) program . METHODS A total of 299 employees of three municipal services in the Dutch town of Enschede were r and omly allocated into intervention ( n = 131 ) and control group ( n = 168 ) . Over a 9-month period , intervention group subjects were offered seven counseling sessions . Counseling was based on the individual 's stage of behavioral change using PACE physical activity and nutrition protocol s. Subjects in both the intervention and control group received written information about several lifestyle factors . Primary outcome measures were physical activity ( total energy expenditure , during sports activities , during physical activity leisure time other than sports , and meeting the moderate-intensity public health recommendations ) ; cardiorespiratory fitness ; and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms . Secondary outcome measures were body composition ( body mass index [ BMI ] , and percentage of body fat measured via skinfold thicknesses ) ; blood pressure ; and blood cholesterol . RESULTS There were significant positive effects on total energy expenditure , physical activity during sports , cardiorespiratory fitness , percentage of body fat , and blood cholesterol . No effects were found for the proportion of subjects meeting the public health recommendation of moderate-intensity physical activity , physical activity during leisure time other than sports , prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms , body mass index , and blood pressure . CONCLUSIONS Individual face-to-face counseling at the workplace based on PACE protocol s positively influenced physical activity levels and some components of physical fitness . The implementation of workplace counseling programs for individuals should therefore be promoted ISSUE ADDRESSED Physical activity and exercise participation is limited by a perceived lack of time , poor access to facilities and low motivation . The aim was to assess whether providing an exercise program to be completed at the workplace with or without direct supervision was effective for promoting health-related physical fitness and exercise participation . METHODS Fifty university employees aged ( Mean ± SD ) 42.5 ± 11.1 years were prescribed a moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic and resistance exercise program to be completed at an onsite facility for 8 weeks . Participants were r and omly allocated to receive direct exercise supervision or not . Cardiorespiratory fitness ( V̇O2max ) and maximal muscular strength were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks . Self-report physical activity was assessed at baseline , 8 weeks and 15 months post-intervention . RESULTS Attendance or exercise session volume were not different between groups . Cardiorespiratory fitness ( Mean ± 95 % CI ) ; + 1.9 ± 0.7 mL·kg·min-1 ; P < .001 ) , relative knee flexion ( + 7.4 ± 3.5 Nm·kg-1 % ; P < .001 ) and extension ( + 7.4 ± 4.6 Nm·kg-1 % ; P < .01 ) strength increased , irrespective of intervention group . Self-reported vigorous-intensity physical activity increased over the intervention ( mean ± 95 % CI ; + 450 ± 222 MET·minutes per week ; P < .001 ) , but did not remain elevated at 15 months ( + 192 ± 276 MET·minutes per week ) . CONCLUSION Providing a workplace exercise facility to complete an individually-prescribed 8-week exercise program is sufficient to improve health-related physical fitness in the short-term independent to the level of supervision provided , but does not influence long-term participation . SO WHAT ? : Lower cost onsite exercise facility supervision is as effective at improving physical health and fitness as directly supervised exercise , however ongoing support may be required for sustained physical activity behaviour change Background Poor cardiorespiratory fitness is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity . Alcohol consumption contributes substantially to the burden of disease , but its association with cardiorespiratory fitness is not well described . We examined associations between average alcohol  consumption  , heavy episodic drinking and cardiorespiratory fitness . Design The design of this study was as a cross-sectional population -based r and om sample . Methods We analysed data from five independent population -based studies ( Study of Health in Pomerania ( 2008–2012 ) ; German Health Interview and Examination Survey ( 2008–2011 ) ; US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( NHANES ) 1999–2000 ; NHANES 2001–2002 ; NHANES 2003–2004 ) including 7358 men and women aged 20–85 years , free of lung disease or asthma .  Cardiorespiratory fitness , quantified by  peak oxygen uptake , was assessed using exercise testing . Information regarding average alcohol consumption ( ethanol in grams per day ( g/d ) ) and heavy episodic drinking ( 5 + or 6 + drinks/occasion ) was obtained from self-reports . Fractional polynomial regression models were used to determine the best-fitting dose-response relationship . Results Average alcohol consumption displayed an inverted U-type relation with peak oxygen uptake ( p-value<0.0001 ) , after adjustment for age , sex , education , smoking and physical activity . Compared to individuals consuming 10 g/d ( moderate consumption ) , current abstainers and individuals consuming 50 and 60 g/d had significantly lower peak oxygen uptake values ( ml/kg/min ) ( β coefficients = −1.90 , β = −0.06 , β = −0.31 , respectively ) . Heavy episodic drinking was not associated with peak oxygen uptake . Conclusions Across multiple adult population -based sample s , moderate drinkers displayed better fitness than current abstainers and individuals with higher average alcohol consumption CONTEXT Even though the strong association between physical inactivity and ill health is well documented , 60 % of the population is inadequately active or completely inactive . Traditional methods of prescribing exercise have not proven effective for increasing and maintaining a program of regular physical activity . OBJECTIVE To compare the 24-month intervention effects of a lifestyle physical activity program with traditional structured exercise on improving physical activity , cardiorespiratory fitness , and cardiovascular disease risk factors . DESIGN R and omized clinical trial conducted from August 1 , 1993 , through July 31 , 1997 . PARTICIPANTS Sedentary men ( n = 116 ) and women ( n = 119 ) with self-reported physical activity of less than 36 and 34 kcal/kg per day , respectively . INTERVENTIONS Six months of intensive and 18 months of maintenance intervention on either a lifestyle physical activity or a traditional structured exercise program . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes were physical activity assessed by the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall and peak oxygen consumption ( VO2peak ) by a maximal exercise treadmill test . Secondary outcomes were plasma lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations , blood pressure , and body composition . All measures were obtained at baseline and at 6 and 24 months . RESULTS Both the lifestyle and structured activity groups had significant and comparable improvements in physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness from baseline to 24 months . Adjusted mean changes ( 95 % confidence intervals [ CIs ] ) were 0.84 ( 95 % CI , 0.42 - 1.25 kcal/kg per day ; P<.001 ) and 0.69 ( 95 % CI , 0.25 - 1.12 kcal/kg day ; P = .002 ) for activity , and 0.77 ( 95 % CI , 0.18 - 1.36 mL/kg per minute ; P = .01 ) and 1.34 ( 95 % CI , 0.72 - 1.96 mL/kg per minute ; P<.001 ) for VO2peak for the lifestyle and structured activity groups , respectively . There were significant and comparable reductions in systolic blood pressure ( -3.63 [ 95 % CI , -5.54 to -1.72 mm Hg ; P<.001 ] and -3.26 [ 95 % CI , -5.26 to -1.25 mm Hg ; P = .002 ] ) and diastolic blood pressure ( -5.38 [ 95 % CI , -6.90 to -3.86 mm Hg ; P<.001 ] and -5.14 [ 95 % CI , -6.73 to -3.54 mm Hg ; P<.001 ) for the lifestyle and structured activity groups , respectively . Neither group significantly changed their weight ( -0.05 [ 95 % CI , -1.05 to 0.96 kg ; P = .93 ] and 0.69 [ 95 % CI , -0.37 to 1.74 kg ; P = .20 ] ) , but each group significantly reduced their percentage of body fat ( -2.39 % [ 95 % CI , -2.92 % to -1.85 % ; P<.001 ] and -1.85 % [ 95 % CI , -2.41 % to -1.28 % ; P<.001 ] ) in the lifestyle and structured activity groups , respectively . CONCLUSIONS In previously sedentary healthy adults , a lifestyle physical activity intervention is as effective as a structured exercise program in improving physical activity , cardiorespiratory fitness , and blood pressure Epidemiological studies suggest a dose-response relationship exists between physical activity and cognitive outcomes . However , no direct data from r and omized trials exists to support these indirect observations . The purpose of this study was to explore the possible relationship of aerobic exercise dose on cognition .  Underactive or sedentary participants without cognitive impairment were r and omized to one of four groups : no-change control , 75 , 150 , and 225 minutes per week of moderate-intensity semi-supervised aerobic exercise for 26-weeks in a community setting . Cognitive outcomes were latent residual scores derived from a battery of 16 cognitive tests : Verbal Memory , Visuospatial Processing , Simple Attention , Set Maintenance and Shifting , and Reasoning . Other outcome measures were cardiorespiratory fitness ( peak oxygen consumption ) and measures of function functional health . In intent-to-treat ( ITT ) analyses ( n = 101 ) , cardiorespiratory fitness increased and perceived disability decreased in a dose-dependent manner across the 4 groups . No other exercise-related effects were observed in ITT analyses . Analyses restricted to individuals who exercised per- protocol ( n = 77 ) demonstrated that Simple Attention improved equivalently across all exercise groups compared to controls and a dose-response relationship was present for Visuospatial Processing . A clear dose-response relationship exists between exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness . Cognitive benefits were apparent at low doses with possible increased benefits in visuospatial function at higher doses but only in those who adhered to the exercise protocol . An individual ’s cardiorespiratory fitness response was a better predictor of cognitive gains than exercise dose ( i.e. , duration ) and thus maximizing an individual ’s cardiorespiratory fitness may be an important therapeutic target for achieving cognitive benefits . Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov BACKGROUND The cardiorespiratory fitness of stroke survivors is low . Center-based exercise programs that include an aerobic component have been shown to improve poststroke cardiorespiratory fitness . This pilot study aims to determine the feasibility , safety , and preliminary efficacy of an individually tailored home- and community-based exercise program to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and walking capacity in stroke survivors . METHODS Independently ambulant , community-dwelling stroke survivors were recruited . The control  ( n = 10 ) and intervention ( n = 10 ) groups both received usual care . In addition the intervention group undertook a 12-week , individually tailored , home- and community-based exercise program , including once-weekly telephone or e-mail support . Assessment s were conducted at baseline and at 12 weeks . Feasibility was determined by retention and program participation , and safety by adverse events . Efficacy measures included change in cardiorespiratory fitness ( peak oxygen consumption [ VO2peak ] ) and distance walked during the Six-Minute Walk Test ( 6MWT ) . Analysis of covariance was used for data analysis . RESULTS All participants completed the study with no adverse events . All intervention participants reported undertaking their prescribed program . VO2peak improved more in the intervention group ( 1.17 ± .29 L/min to 1.35 ± .33 L/min ) than the control group ( 1.24 ± .23 L/min to 1.24 ± .33 L/min , between-group difference = .18 L/min , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] : .01-.36 ) . Distance walked improved more in the intervention group ( 427 ± 123 m to 494 ± 67 m ) compared to the control group ( 456 ± 101 m to 470 ± 106 m , between-group difference = 45 m , 95 % CI : .3 - 90 ) . CONCLUSIONS Our individually tailored approach with once-weekly telephone or e-mail support was feasible and effective in selected stroke survivors . The 16 % greater improvement in VO2peak during the 6MWT achieved in the intervention versus control group is comparable to improvements attained in supervised , center-based programs BACKGROUND Physical activity has been advocated as an important factor in the primary prevention of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus ( NIDDM ) , but information concerning the specific intensities and duration s that are protective has been unavailable . OBJECTIVE To examine prospect ively the association between self-reported levels of the intensity and duration of physical activities  , and cardiorespiratory fitness ( assessed by  respiratory gas exchange )  and incident cases of NIDDM ( assessed by the oral glucose tolerance test ) in a population -based sample of 897 middle-aged Finnish men . RESULTS After adjustment for age , baseline glucose values , body mass index , serum triglyceride levels , parental history of diabetes , and alcohol consumption , moderately intense physical activities ( > or = 5.5 metabolic units ) that were undertaken for at least a 40-minute duration per week were associated with a reduced risk of NIDDM ( odds ration [ OR ] , 0.44 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 0.22 - 0.88 ) . Activities with less than an intensity of 5.5 metabolic units , regardless of their duration , were not protective . Cardiorespiratory fitness levels greater than 31.0 mL of oxygen per kilogram per minute were protective against NIDDM ( OR , 0.26 ; 95 % CI , 0.08 - 0.82 ) . A subgroup of men at high risk of NIDDM , because they were overweight and were hypertensive and had a positive parental history of NIDDM , who engaged in moderately intense physical activities above the 40-min/wk duration reduced their risk of NIDDM by 64 % compared with men who did not participate in such activities . CONCLUSIONS After adjustment for age , baseline glucose levels , and known risk factors , physical activities with an intensity of 5.5 metabolic units or greater and a duration of 40 minutes or greater per week protected against the development of NIDDM . These protective effects were even more pronounced in a subgroup of men who were at high risk for the development of the disease Purpose Following colorectal cancer diagnosis and anti-cancer therapy , declines in cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition lead to significant increases in morbidity and mortality . There is increasing interest within the field of exercise oncology surrounding potential strategies to remediate these adverse outcomes . This study compared 4 weeks of moderate-intensity exercise ( MIE ) and high-intensity exercise ( HIE ) training on peak oxygen consumption ( V̇O2peak ) and body composition in colorectal cancer survivors . Methods Forty seven post-treatment colorectal cancer survivors ( HIE = 27 months post-treatment ; MIE = 38 months post-treatment ) were r and omised to either HIE [ 85–95 % peak heart rate ( HRpeak ) ] or MIE ( 70 % HRpeak ) in equivalence with current physical activity guidelines and completed 12 training sessions over 4 weeks . Results HIE was superior to MIE in improving absolute ( p = 0.016 ) and relative ( p = 0.021 ) V̇O2peak . Absolute ( + 0.28 L.min−1 , p < 0.001 ) and relative ( + 3.5 ml.kg−1.min−1 , p < 0.001 ) V̇O2 peak were increased in the HIE group but not the MIE group following training . HIE led to significant increases in lean mass ( + 0.72 kg , p = 0.002 ) and decreases in fat mass ( −0.74 kg , p < 0.001 ) and fat percentage ( −1.0 % , p < 0.001 ) , whereas no changes were observed for the MIE group . There were no severe adverse events . Conclusions In response to short-term training , HIE is a safe , feasible and efficacious intervention that offers clinical ly meaningful improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition for colorectal cancer survivors . Implication s for Cancer SurvivorsHIE appears to offer superior improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in comparison to current physical activity recommendations for colorectal cancer survivors and therefore may be an effective clinical utility following treatment PURPOSE This study was design ed to examine the associations of physical activity and body composition with cardiorespiratory fitness in eighth grade girls . METHODS A r and om sample of 1440 eighth grade girls at 36 schools participated in this cross-sectional investigation , which represented an ethnically and geographically diverse group .  Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using a modified physical work capacity test on a cycle ergometer that predicted workload at a heart rate of 170 beats.min . Physical activity was assessed over 6 d in each girl using an accelerometer and body composition was estimated from body mass index and triceps skinfolds using a previously vali date d equation . Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the relationships among fitness , physical activity , and body composition . RESULTS Significant linear relationships among cardiorespiratory fitness , body composition , and physical activity were found . The combination of fat and fat-free mass along with racial group and a race by fat-free-mass interaction accounted for 18 % ( R ) of the variation in physical fitness . Adding moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to the regression model increased the R to 22 % . Black girls had somewhat lower fitness levels ( P < 0.05 ) especially at higher levels of fat and fat-free mass than other racial/ethnic groups . CONCLUSIONS Physical activity , fat-free mass , and the interaction between fat-free mass and racial group are significantly associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescent girls OBJECTIVES This study was design ed to define the effect of different levels of leisure time physical activity on cardiorespiratory fitness and progression of coronary atherosclerotic lesions in unselected patients with coronary artery disease . BACKGROUND It has been shown in various studies that regression of coronary atherosclerotic lesions can be achieved by means of lipid-lowering drugs , reduction of fat consumption and physical exercise . METHODS Patients were prospect ively r and omized either to an intervention group ( n = 29 ) participating in regular physical exercise or to a control group ( n = 33 ) receiving usual care .  Energy expenditure in  leisure time physical activity  was estimated from st and ardized question naires and from participation in group exercise sessions . After 12 months of participation , repeat coronary angiography was performed ; coronary lesions were measured by digital image processing . RESULTS After 1 year , patients in the intervention group achieved an increase in oxygen uptake at a ventilatory threshold of 7 % ( p < 0.001 ) and peak exercise of 14 % ( p < 0.05 ) , whereas a significant decrease was observed in patients in the control group . To achieve significant improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness , approximately 1,400 kcal/week had to be expended in the form of leisure time  physical activity ( p < 0.001 ) . The mean energy expended in such activity was 1,876 + /- 163 kcal/week in the intervention group and 1,187 + /- 97 kcal/week in the control group ( p < 0.001 ) . In the intervention group , regression of coronary artery disease was noted in 8 patients ( 28 % ) , progression of disease in 3 ( 10 % ) and no change in coronary morphology in 18 ( 62 % ) . In contrast , coronary artery disease progressed at a significantly faster rate in patients in the control group ( progression in 45 % , no change in 49 % and regression in 6 % ) ( p < 0.001 vs. intervention ) . When the two groups were combined , the lowest level of leisure time physical activity was noted in patients with progression of disease ( 1,022 + /- 142 kcal/week ) as opposed to patients with no change ( 1,533 + /- 122 kcal/week ) or regression of disease ( 2,204 + /- 237 kcal/week ) ( p < 0.005 ) . CONCLUSIONS Measurable improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness requires approximately 1,400 kcal/week of leisure time physical activity ; higher work loads are necessary to halt progression of coronary atherosclerotic lesions ( 1,533 + /- 122 kcal/week ) , whereas regression of coronary lesions is observed only in patients expending an average of 2,200 kcal/week in leisure time physical activity , amounting to approximately 5 to 6 h/week of regular physical exercise OBJECTIVE To analyze socioeconomic indicators , physical activity ( PA ) opportunities , and behavioral correlates of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness among Brazilian boys and girls . METHODS A sample of 1555 adolescents was r and omly selected . Age- and sex-specific st and ard scores were calculated for each fitness component . RESULTS Among boys , head of household 's schooling , involvement in organized PA , meeting the PA recommendations , and computer/games use were associated with cardiorespiratory fitness . Involvement in organized PA and active time in Physical Education ( PE ) classes were predictors of muscular fitness . Among girls , active time in PE classes and TV watching were predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness . Meeting the PA recommendations was associated with muscular fitness . CONCLUSION PA variables and sedentary behaviors should be independently considered for physical fitness promotion in youth
Conclusions Workplace-based physical activity interventions consisting of at least moderate-intensity activity improve cardiorespiratory fitness .
At the present time , we surmise that no single group of employees ( e.g. older employees or less fit individuals ) can be definitively identified as st and ing to benefit more from workplace physical activity interventions than others .
This demonstrates the potential utility of workplace physical activity interventions for improving cardiorespiratory fitness in a broad range of healthy employees .
Background Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong predictor of all-cause mortality .
Physical activity of at least moderate intensity can improve cardiorespiratory fitness .
Workplaces may provide a relatively controlled setting in which to improve cardiorespiratory fitness through physical activity .
Limited work has been conducted to quantify the impact of delivering physical activity in the workplace on cardiorespiratory fitness .
Objective The objective of this systematic review was to quantify the effects of workplace physical activity interventions on peak oxygen consumption ( VO2peak ) and explore study and participant characteristics as putative moderators .