Feasibility And Adherence To Different Exercise Variety Interventions

Previously non-exercising adults’ adherence to exercise intervention studies is low, with only 50% meeting the national recommendations of 150 minutes/week after 6 months. A possible explanation of the low exercise adherence is that most interventions primarily use walking as the exercise. However, it remains unclear whether providing a variety of exercise modalities would increase adherence. PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility, adherence, and acceptability of various exercise interventions over 4-weeks. METHODS: Eleven healthy, previously sedentary adults (22 yr, 28 kg/m2, 27% Hispanic) completed pretesting, and then were randomized (by BMI, sex, ethnicity) to unsupervised 1) walking intervention (control), 2) exercise variety intervention, or 3) exercise progressive intervention, for 4-weeks. In the exercise variety intervention, each week participants were prescribed a single different exercise regimen that included cycling, walking/jogging, yoga/Pilates, cross-training (kick boxing, karate, salsa dancing, circuit training), and strength training. In the exercise progressive intervention, the same exercises were included but each week were added to the list of options to choose from. Exercise was assessed by a physical activity log and accelerometry. RESULTS: In preliminary analyses using the physical activity logs, pre-intervention exercise was approximately 13 minutes/day. After 4-weeks, the average exercise was 22 minutes/day in the walking intervention, 55 minutes/day in the exercise variety intervention, and 48 minutes/day in the exercise progressive intervention. CONCLUSION: If preliminary analyses are confirmed with more participants enrolled, exercise variety interventions may be feasible to increase adherence among previously non-exercising adults. Future studies will need to assess objectives measures of exercise using accelerometry and exercise intensity in response to the variety-based interventions to optimize exercise prescriptions.