Effectiveness of community-wide promotion of physical activity in middle-aged and elderly people: a 5-year extended study of a cluster RCT - Effectiveness of community-wide promotion of physical activity: a 5-year extended study of a cluster RCT

Compared with control communities, adults achieving recommended levels of PA increased in intervention communities [adjusted change difference=4.6 percentage points (95% confidence interval:0.4, 8.8)]. The intervention was effective for promoting all types of recommended PAs, i.e. aerobic (walking, 6.4%), flexibility (6.1%) and muscle strengthening activities (5.7%). However, a bundled approach, which attempted to promote all forms of PAs above simultaneously, was not effective (1.3 to 3.4%, P>0.138). Linear dose response relationships between the CWI awareness and changes in PA were observed (P<0.02). Pain intensity decreased in shoulder (intervention and control) and lower back (intervention only) but there was little change difference in all musculoskeletal pain outcomes between the groups. (Kamada M et al., Int J Epidemiol, dyx248, Epub on 2017)