Sapporo Fitness Club Trial (SFCT)--design, recruitment and implementation of a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of exercise at a fitness club for the reduction of cardiovascular risk factor--.
BACKGROUND
The annual health check followed by lifestyle recommendations has long been the standard national strategy to improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Japan. Exercise at fitness clubs, now widely accessible in major cities, has a novel appeal as a strategy with the additive effect of CVD risk reduction. The Sapporo Fitness Club Trial (SFCT) is a randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of the national standard alone (control) with the standard plus exercise at a fitness club (intervention) for the reduction of CVD risk factors.


METHODS
The SFCT has recruited and randomized 561 relatively inactive overweight men and women, aged 40-85 years, with elevated levels of 2 or more of the following: systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The intervention group was required to exercise at a fitness club 2-4 times per week. At the end of 6 months, risk factors, aerobic capacity, health-related quality of life measures, and adverse effects are to be compared.


CONCLUSIONS
The SFCT is expected to have a major impact in Japan on public health recommendations on exercise for the reduction of lifestyle-related disease.
Igarashi
Kumiko
K
Sapporo Health Promotion Center, Chuoku, Sapporo, Japan.
Fujita
Kumiko
K
Yamase
Tomomi
T
Morita
Noriteru
N
Okita
Koichi
K
Satake
Keiji
K
Kanazawa
Naomi
N
Nishijima
Hirotaka
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D020446:Fitness Centers; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL