title: Compliance with physical exercise: using a multidisciplinary approach within a dose-dependent exercise study of moderately overweight men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sixty-one healthy, sedentary, moderately overweight young men participated in a randomised controlled trial to examine the effects of two different doses of endurance exercise on health behaviour and exercise compliance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomised to a sedentary control group, a moderate (MOD; 300 kcal/day) or a high-dose (HIGH; 600 kcal/day) endurance exercise group for 12 weeks. A sub-set of the subjects were interviewed using pre-determined, qualitative questions to elucidate physical activity and health behaviour. In combination with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), a post hoc thematic analysis was conducted to connect qualitative and quantitative data in a joint analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the subjects interviewed, exercise compliance expressed as 95% CI was [96.8; 103%] in the MOD group and [82.9; 99.6%] in the HIGH group. The different doses of daily exercise equally improved various metabolic health parameters. The MOD group was untroubled by the exercise load and had a positive attitude towards exercise. The HIGH group expressed increased fatigue, less positivity and perceived exercise as time-consuming. The MOD group described themselves as more energetic, and thereby may have increased physical activity levels in areas of their everyday lives that were not related to the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A multidisciplinary approach provided explanations for similar effects of two different doses of exercise. This could not have been determined via either qualitative or quantitative methodology alone. The preconditions of the TBP were fulfilled, and it represents a methodological model to explain the high degree of compliance and motivation to exercise.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne Sofie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gram
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bønnelycke
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenkilde
authors.forename: Michala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichkendler
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjödin
authors.forename: Thorkil
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ploug
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jespersen
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stallknecht
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D036301:Qualitative Research; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Endurance exercise; exercise compliance; health behaviour; multidisciplinary methodology; theory of planned behaviour