title: Recommending self-paced exercise among overweight and obese adults: a randomized pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  National guidelines call for exercise of at least moderate intensity; however, recommending self-paced exercise may lead to better adherence, particularly among overweight and obese adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test proof-of-concept for recommending self-paced exercise among overweight adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine healthy, low-active (exercise <60 min/week), overweight (body mass index 25.0-39.9) adults (18-65) received a 6-month print-based exercise promotion program with the goal of walking 30-60 min/day. Participants were surreptitiously randomly assigned to receive a recommendation for either self-paced (n = 30) or moderate (64-76 % maximum heart rate; n = 29) intensity exercise. All participants used electronic diaries and heart rate monitors to track exercise frequency, duration, and intensity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The self-paced condition reported more minutes/week of walking (f (2) = 0.17, p = 0.045) and a trend toward greater exercise-related energy expenditure/week (f (2) = 0.12, p = 0.243), corresponding to approximately 26 additional minutes/week and 83 additional kilocalories/week over 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Explicit recommendation for self-paced exercise may improve adherence to exercise programs among overweight and obese adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA, david_m_williams@brown.edu.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Shira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dunsiger
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Chad J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gwaltney
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: Alfred F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Parisi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss