Table 2 Study; Types of PA; Intensity of PA; Duration of intervention; Modified for depression?; Motivational component?; PA assessment; Delivery mode; and Outcome

Forsyth et al., 2009 [64]

Various e.g. waking;

Some participants were referred to leisure facilities.

Information unavailable

12 weeks

Yes

Yes: Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Yes

An indirect measure: muscular endurance and aerobic fitness tests

MC:

Face-to-face

PAC:

Mainly unsupervised

Successful:

The intervention was successful in increasing the participants’ muscular endurance and aerobic fitness.

Mailey et al., 2010 [25]

Various e.g. walking

The participants were asked to fill in an activity log to report on the perceived intensity of PA

10 weeks

Yes

Yes: Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)

Four modules with components addressing barriers to the uptake and maintenance of PA.

Module 1. Getting Started: covered the benefits of exercise;

Module 2. Planning for Success: introduced self-efficacy, outcome expectations and goal setting;

Module 3. Beating the Odds: looked at barriers to PA and the ways of overcoming them;

Module 4. Sticking with it: provided guidance on maintenance.

Yes

An objective assessment: Pedometer

Plus a subjective, self-reported, measure:

An activity log for monitoring:

a) PA type

Perceived exertion during PA

MC:

Internet-based plus two monthly meetings with PA counsellors

PAC:

Unsupervised

Successful:

The intervention showed statistically significant improvement in both, the control and intervention conditions. However, the exercise self-efficacy declined over the duration of the intervention, but more so in the control than intervention condition.

Oeland et al., 2010 [31]

Supervised sessions:

1) Aerobic training of cardiorespiratory functioning

2) Weight lifting: 5 basic exercises for leg, chest, abdomen, and lower and upper back muscles.

Home-based physical activity

1) High intensity aerobic exercises: 65%–75% of maximum aerobic capacity

2) Intensity: 10 RM (repetition max)

3) Home-based physical activity - intensity not provided

Supervised sessions: 2 x week

Home-based PA: 1 x week

20 weeks

Yes

No

Yes

A subjective, self-reported, measure of PA:

The International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version

Plus an indirect measure of PA: VO2

MC:

N/A

PAC:

Face-to-face

A structured and supervised group PA programme

Plus one unsupervised PA session per week

Successful but low uptake:

The interventions showed significant improvements in levels of PA as measured by VO2 but the uptake of the intervention was low.

Pentecost et al., 2015 [32]

Various, e.g. walking, gardening, dancing, swimming, gym-based PA

Intensity of aerobic exercise & strength training was measured

Plus a subjective measure: self-reported intensity of PA

1) Sedentary, 2) light PA

3) Moderate PA, 4) vigorous, 5) moderate and vigorous

16–20 weeks

Yes

Yes

The participants were randomly allocated to Behavioural Activation (BA) or Behavioural Activation plus physical activity promotion (BAcPAc) intervention arm.

Yes

An objective assessment:

Pedometer

Plus a subjective, measure: self-reported intensity of PA: ‘light’, ‘moderate’ or ‘vigorous’, recorded in a diary

MC:

Face-to-face, over the telephone or the combination of both

An initial assessment, plus up to 12 support sessions with PWPs.

Plus a written self-help booklet based on BA protocol.

PAC:

Unsupervised

Unsuccessful:

The engagement of IAPT practitioners and hence, participant recruitment, proved challenging.

Piette et al., 2011 [26]

Walking

Information unavailable

12 months in total:

12 weeks weekly sessions plus nine monthly booster sessions

Yes

Yes: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Yes

An objective assessment: Pedometer

MC:

Over the telephone or face-to-face

PAC:

Unsupervised

Successful:

The intervention was successful in increasing an uptake of PA.

Suija et al., 2009 [27]

Nordic Walking

Information unavailable

24 weeks

Yes

No

Yes

A subjective, self-reported, measure: PA diaries

Plus the physical fitness assessment: 2 km walking test

MC:

N/A

PAC:

Unsupervised

Unsuccessful:

No improvements in an uptake and levels of PA; only 4 depressed participants completed the intervention.

Crone et al., 2008 [33]

Gym-based PA

Information unavailable

8–12 weeks

No

No

Yes

The researchers monitored the number of PA sessions attended by the participants:

Attenders (< 80% attendance)

Completers (≥80% attendance)

Pre-entering the PA programme:

Face-to-face referral by a healthcare professional (general practitioners, GP; practice nurse; physiotherapist; or other: dietitians, psychiatrists, nurse specialists, cardiac nurses, health visitors, smoking cessation officers, healthy lifestyle coordinators), to a local leisure centre

MC:

N/A

PAC:

One-to-one consultations with an exercise professional

Unsuccessful:

Embedded within PARS; the study compared outcomes of uptake, attendance and completion of the programme between patients in two groups (Group 1: Mental Health; Group 2: Physical Health).

Referrals with a mental health condition had poorer attendance and completion rates that those referred with a physical health condition.

Duda et al., 2014 [28]

Outdoors (e.g. walking) plus Gym-based PA

Time spent in moderate or vigorous PA was recorded,

8–12 weeks

No

Yes: Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

It compared two types of PARS, a standard provision and the SDT-based.

Yes

A subjective, self-reported, measure:

The 7-Day Physical Activity Recall

Pre-entering the PA programme:

Face-to-face

Individuals enrolled by their GPs or practice nurse to an exercise referral scheme.

MC:

The initial consultation with SDT-trained health and fitness advisors (HTA):

Face-to-face

An additional 2 brief interactions with HTA:

Face-to-face or over the telephone

The final consultation with HTA:

Face-to-face

PAC:

One-to-one consultation with an exercise professional

Unsuccessful in the sense that there was no difference in activity levels between the two arms of the study; as such the intervention made no difference over standard provision. However, it is worth noting that physical activity increased and depression improved in both arms.

Littlecott et al., 2014 [29]

Gym-based PA

The perceived intensity of PA was assessed (moderate intensity or greater intensity, where ‘moderate’ was defined as how participants feel when walking at a normal pace)

6–19 weeks

(intended duration 16 weeks)

No

Yes: the integrated Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Self-Efficacy Theory (SET), and social support

Yes

A subjective, self-reported, measure:

The General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ)

Pre-entering the PA programme:

Face-to-face referral by healthcare professional

MC:

The PARS MC component (based on SDT and SET):Information unavailable; reported elsewhere

Support from family and friends.

PAC:

One-to-one consultation with an exercise professional;

Supervised group-based activity

Unsuccessful:

There was some statistically significant improvement in levels of PA post-intervention but only in the coronary heart disease (CHD) group. Adherence was poor amongst mental health patients.

Pomp et al., 2013 [30]

Various e.g. swimming, running,

Self-reported; the perceived intensity of PA (i.e. moderate or strenuous)

6 weeks

No

Yes: Self-Regulation

The intervention included an encouragement to form 5 post-rehabilitation action plans (where and when), and to generate post-rehabilitation physical activity ideas (types of PA). In addition, the intervention included the volitional strategy of action control.

Yes

A subjective, self-reported, measure:

A modified version of the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), plus a PA diary

MC:

Computer-based

PAC:

Unsupervised

Unsuccessful:

A computer-based self-regulation intervention to increase PA/engage in regular PA after discharge from the orthopaedic clinics, and the researchers were interested in whether or not depression limits the usefulness of this programme.

Without modification for depression, the intervention did not work.