Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01516099

A Structural Approach to Implement the Role of 'Physical Activity Counselors' in Sports and Exercise Promotion

The primary aim of this study is to investigate how a physical activity counselor can offer an added value in the sports and exercise promotion in Flanders. The investigators will explore if the physical activity counselor, in collaboration with the setting of general practitioners and social-cultural associations, can refer sedentary people and persons who are active in a non-organized context, into systematic participation in sports and/or exercise. Additionally, the investigators want to determine if the physical activity counselor will succeed in referring the target population to the local supervised and structured sports and exercise activities.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Sedentary Lifestyle Behavior Motor Activity Sedentary Behavior

Age range

18 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Leuven, Vlaams Brabant, 3000, Belgium

About this study

Being regularly physically active is a basic component of a healthy lifestyle. However, a large amount of the Flemish population does not reach the prescribed guidelines and cannot enjoy the health benefits related to an active lifestyle. One part of the population is physically active but makes no use of the existing, structured and supervised exercise and sports programs. Therefore the chance on lifetime participation in sports and exercise is quite low in this group. Another group consists of sedentary people that does not participate in any exercise or sports activity at all.

A physical activity counselor can possibly deliver a crucial service for the above mentioned groups. He/she can design an individualized sports- or exercise approach and program. In the short term, the physical activity counselor can guide the participant into his first success experiences regarding exercise and sports. In the long term, the chance of remaining physically active will increase by improving the understanding and the self-confidence of these participants.

However it is questioned how the physical activity counselor can reach these target groups in an efficient way, as the traditional sports and exercise promotion seems to have no impact on these persons. A first alternative may be the setting of the general practitioners. The general practitioner is, as a care provider in primary health care, in a good position to refer sedentary people or those who are active in a non-organized context to a physical activity counselor for 'minimal' coaching. A second alternative can be the setting of the social-cultural associations (e.g. seniors association, women association, neighborhood actions, …). The social context and the local networks in these associations facilitate the proper forms of motivation to exercise with other people and to adapt to a healthy lifestyle.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Between 18-75 years of age
  • Able to walk

Exclusion criteria

  • Severe cardial disease

Treatment and study plan

General Practitioners

Other

The general practitioner can refer his patients to a physical activity counselor for an individual coaching (intake session with development of program and pretesting, follow up by e-mail or phone (max 4x), personal contact moments (max 3x) and exit session with evaluation and posttesting).

Social-cultural organizations

Other

In the social-cultural organization, members can sign in for group sessions led by the physical activity counselor (intake session with development of program and pretesting, follow up by email or letters (max 4x), personal contact moments (max 4x) and exit session with evaluation and posttesting).

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in health-related anthropometric measures

    Time frame: baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months

    Length, Weight, Abdominal circumference

  2. Change in objective measure of degree of physical activity

    Time frame: Baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months

    Sensewear: little accelerometer that will be carried on the upper arm during several days and consequently registrates the amount of physical activity during this period.

  3. Change in mental well-being

    Time frame: Baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months

    Standardized questionnaire

  4. Change in motivation to be physically active

    Time frame: Baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months

    Standardized questionnaire

  5. Change in participation in local structured sports and exercise

    Time frame: Baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months

    Standardized questionnaire

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Other

Collaborators

  • Belgian Government

Registry information

Official study title

Pilot Study: A Structural Approach to Implement the Role of 'Physical Activity Counselors' in Sports and Exercise Promotion in Flanders

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2013
First posted
Jan 24, 2012
Registry last updated
Aug 13, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.