title: Effectiveness of a pedometer-based telephone coaching program on weight and physical activity for people referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of a pedometer-based telephone lifestyle coaching intervention on weight and physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 313 patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation in rural and urban Australia. Participants were allocated to a healthy weight (HW) (4 telephone coaching sessions on weight and physical activity) or a physical activity (PA) intervention (2 telephone coaching sessions on physical activity). Weight and physical activity were assessed by self-report at baseline, short-term (6-8 weeks), and medium-term (6-8 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90% of participants completed the trial. Over the medium-term, participants in the HW group decreased their weight compared with participants in the PA group (P = .005). Participants in the HW group with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m had a mean weight loss of 1.6 kg compared with participants in the PA-only group who lost a mean of 0.4 kg (P = .015). Short-term, both groups increased their physical activity time, and the PA group maintained this increase at the medium-term.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants in the HW group achieved modest improvements in weight, and those in the PA group demonstrated increased physical activity. Low-contact, telephone-based interventions are a feasible means of delivering lifestyle interventions for underserved rural communities, for those not attending cardiac rehabilitation, or as an adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion Service, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Drs Sangster and Furber); Health Promotion Service Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia (Dr Sangster); School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia (Dr Sangster); School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Dr Furber); School of Molecular Biosciences (Dr Allman-Farinelli), School of Public Health (Drs Phongsavan and Bauman), and Sydney Medical School (Dr Redfern), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Dr Haas and Ms Church); and Heart Foundation, NSW Division, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Mr Mark).
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sangster
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furber
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allman-Farinelli
authors.forename: Philayrath
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phongsavan
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Redfern
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauman
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*