Effectiveness of physical activity promotion interventions in primary care: A review of reviews

Objective: The present review aims to summarize the evidence about the effectiveness of physical activity (PA) promotion interventions in primary care (PC) and the intervention or sample characteristics associated with greater effectiveness.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses published from 2002 to 2012 that assessed the effectiveness of PA-promoting interventions in PC. Information was extracted and recorded about each of the selected studies and their reported results. Methodological and evidence quality was independently rated by two reviewers using the nine-item OQAQ scale and the SIGN classification system.

Results: Ten of the 1664 articles identified met the inclusion criteria: five meta-analyses, three systematic reviews, and two literature reviews. Overall, PA promotion interventions in PC showed a small to moderate positive effect on increasing PA levels. Better results were obtained by interventions including multiple behavioral change techniques and those targeted to insufficiently active patients. No clear associations were found regarding intervention intensity or sample characteristics.

Conclusion: Although several high-quality reviews provided clear evidence of small but positive effects of PA intervention in PC settings, evidence of specific strategies and sample characteristics associated with greater effectiveness is still needed to enhance the implementation of interventions under routine clinical conditions.