title: Prescribed exercise: a prospective study of health-related quality of life and physical fitness among participants in an officially sponsored municipal physical training program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Participants who completed a 3-month prescribed individualized exercise program in groups were followed-up prospectively. The aims were to describe the characteristics of the participants, their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical fitness at baseline, at completion and at 12-month follow-up, and to identify predictors of HRQoL and physical fitness at completion and at 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-group follow-up design was used. Data were collected from records of 163 attendees at a municipality-sponsored health center in Norway. HRQoL was measured by self-report using the COOP/WONCA questionnaire. Physical fitness was estimated from the results of a 2-km walk test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 163 participants referred to the clinic, 130 (79.8%) were women and 33 were (20.2%) men. Participants who completed were older than those who dropped out. The participants showed clinical improvement in physical fitness and all health-related quality life domains (d > 0.53) at the completion of the program and in physical functioning, mental health, performance of daily activities, overall health, and perceived improved health after 12 months (d > 0.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in group-based prescribed exercise program for 3 months may improve physical fitness and HRQoL significantly in short and long terms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicine, Dept of Gastroenterology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Anners
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lerdal
authors.forename: Elin Hannevig
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Celius
authors.forename: Gunn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology