title: Time regained: when people stop a physical activity program, how does their time use change? A randomised controlled trial.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate how previously inactive adults who had participated in a structured, partly supervised 6-week exercise program restructured their time budgets when the program ended. Using a randomised controlled trial design, 129 previously inactive adults were recruited and randomly allocated to one of three groups: a Moderate or Extensive six-week physical activity intervention (150 and 300 additional minutes of exercise per week, respectively) or a Control group. Additional physical activity was accumulated through both group and individual exercise sessions with a wide range of activities. Use of time and time spent in energy expenditure zones was measured using a computerised 24-h self-report recall instrument, the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults, and accelerometry at baseline, mid- and end-program and at 3- and 6-months follow up. At final follow up, all significant changes in time use domains had returned to within 20 minutes of baseline levels (Physical Activity 1-2 min/d, Active Transport 3-9 min/d, Self-Care 0-2 min/d, Television/Videogames 13-18 min/d in the Moderate and Extensive group, relative to Controls, respectively, p > 0.05). Similarly, all significant changes in time spent in the moderate energy expenditure zone had returned to within 1-3 min/d baseline levels (p > 0.05), however time spent in vigorous physical activity according to accelerometry estimates remained elevated, although the changes were small in magnitude (1 min/d in the Moderate and Extensive groups, relative to Controls, p = 0.01). The results of this study demonstrate strong recidivist patterns in physical activity, but also in other aspects of time use. In designing and determining the effectiveness of exercise interventions, future studies would benefit from considering the whole profile of time use, rather than focusing on individual activities,
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12610000248066.
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Physical Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Sjaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gomersall
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Physical Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Coralie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: English
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Physical Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rowlands
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Physical Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olds
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D012890:Sleep; D017748:Time Management / Q000523:psychology*