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Aim: The current study aims to qualitatively identify determinants, barriers and facilitators of physical activity among a population with mental health disorders.Subject and methods: Seventeen participants with moderate mental disorders were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify physical activity facilitators and barriers. Data were organized and analysed in ATLAS.ti, mainly based on a generic qualitative research approach.Results: Most participants found physical activity important and expressed a positive attitude towards it. In general, higher self-efficacy and more social support were beneficial for participants' physical activity levels. Reasons/facilitating factors to be more physically active were: having fun, good weather, progress, routine, self-compassion and a stimulating environment. Barriers were not having fun, being busy, mental complaints, lack of energy, procrastination and physical complaints.Conclusion: Future interventions could promote physical activity among people with moderate mental disorders to help them identify and overcome barriers. The newly identified determinant 'self-compassion' could be an interesting target for promoting physical activity in this group of people with moderate mental disorders.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to carry out a systematic review of intervention programs that have addressed affective learning outcomes within physical education and to explore pedagogical practices in alignment with teaching, lesson content, and learning outcomes. Method: The literature search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Included were 26 peer-reviewed pedagogical studies of physical education programs that addressed affective outcomes and reported fidelity of implementation. Results and Discussion: Affective outcomes were grouped into four themes: motivation, emotional responses, self-concept, and resilience. The findings showed that offering choice, encouraging peer feedback, asking deductive questions, focusing on personal improvement, and differentiating are effective teaching strategies that were widely used to support affective learning in children and adolescents. This review highlights the importance of fidelity of implementation to understand how intervention programs are delivered.

Aim The current study aims to qualitatively identify determinants, barriers and facilitators of physical activity among a population with mental health disorders. Subject and methods Seventeen participants with moderate mental disorders were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify physical activity facilitators and barriers. Data were organized and analysed in ATLAS.ti, mainly based on a generic qualitative research approach. Results Most participants found physical activity important and expressed a positive attitude towards it. In general, higher self-efficacy and more social support were beneficial for participants’ physical activity levels. Reasons/facilitating factors to be more physically active were: having fun, good weather, progress, routine, self-compassion and a stimulating environment. Barriers were not having fun, being busy, mental complaints, lack of energy, procrastination and physical complaints. Conclusion Future interventions could promote physical activity among people with moderate mental disorders to help them identify and overcome barriers. The newly identified determinant ‘self-compassion’ could be an interesting target for promoting physical activity in this group of people with moderate mental disorders.

This study aimed to investigate whether (1) acute physical activity has positive effects on response inhibition and lapses of attention; and (2) cognitively engaging physical activity has stronger effects on response inhibition and lapses of attention than aerobic physical activity. Children (n = 89) were randomly assigned to the aerobic or cognitively engaging intervention, or a control condition. Response inhibition and lapses of attention were measured with a stop-signal task using a pre-post design. Multilevel analysis revealed no significant beneficial effect of acute physical activity on response inhibition and lapses of attention, nor differences between the interventions. However, more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) led to better response inhibition and reduced lapses of attention. It is concluded that positive effects of acute physical activity on response inhibition and lapses of attention are dependent on the intensity and duration, without indications for differential effects of the type of activity.

This cluster randomized controlled trial (trial-number #) compares effects of two school-based physical activity interventions (aerobic vs. cognitively-engaging) on reading, mathematics, and spelling achievement; and whether effects are influenced by volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and baseline achievement. Twenty-two primary schools participated, where a third and fourth grade class were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Intervention groups were randomly assigned to a 14-week aerobic or cognitively-engaging intervention, receiving four physical education lessons a week. Control groups followed their regular physical education program. Academic achievement of 891 children (mean age 9.17 years, 49.4% boys) was assessed with standardized tests before and after the interventions. Post-Test academic achievement did not significantly differ between intervention groups and control group. A higher volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity resulted in better post-test mathematics achievement in both intervention groups, and post-test spelling achievement in the cognitively engaging intervention group. Compared to the control group, lower achievers in reading performed better in reading after the cognitively-engaging intervention. A combination of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and cognitively-engaging exercises seems to have the most beneficial effects. Future intervention studies should take into account quantitative and qualitative aspects of physical activity, and children’s baseline academic achievement.

This study aimed to investigate whether (1) acute physical activity has positive effects on response inhibition and lapses of attention; and (2) cognitively engaging physical activity has stronger effects on response inhibition and lapses of attention than aerobic physical activity. Children (n = 89) were randomly assigned to the aerobic or cognitively engaging intervention, or a control condition. Response inhibition and lapses of attention were measured with a stop-signal task using a pre-post design. Multilevel analysis revealed no significant beneficial effect of acute physical activity on response inhibition and lapses of attention, nor differences between the interventions. However, more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) led to better response inhibition and reduced lapses of attention. It is concluded that positive effects of acute physical activity on response inhibition and lapses of attention are dependent on the intensity and duration, without indications for differential effects of the type of activity.

Background Sedentary behavior (SB) and lack of physical activity (PA) have been associated with poorer health outcomes and are increasingly prevalent in individuals working in sedentary occupations such as office jobs. Gamification and nudges have attracted attention as promising strategies to promote changes in health behavior. However, most effectiveness studies thus far lacked active controls, and few studies have tested interventions combining these strategies. Objective This study investigates the effectiveness of combining a gamified digital app with physical nudges to increase PA and reduce SB in Dutch office workers. Methods Employees in the municipality of Rotterdam (N=298) from two office locations were randomized at the location level to either a 10-week intervention, combining a 5-week gamification phase encompassing a gamified digital app with social support features and a 5-week physical nudges phase, or to an active control (ie, basic digital app with self-monitoring and goal setting). The primary outcome was the daily step count, objectively measured via accelerometers. Secondary outcomes were self-reported PA and SB measured at baseline and at 5, 10, and 14 weeks. Mixed effects models were used to analyze the effects of the intervention on the outcome measures. Results A total of 78.5% (234/298) of participants completed the study and provided accelerometer data, whereas 36.9% (110/298) participants completed the self-report measures at 14 weeks. In the gamification phase, step count data were missing for 13.5% (473/3492) of observations in the control and 11.4% (445/3888) in the intervention condition; however, these percentages increased to 39.6% (1154/2910) and 59.6% (1932/3492) at follow-up, respectively. During the gamification phase, intervention participants increased their number of daily steps by 634 (95% CI 154.2-1113.8; P=.01) more than participants in the control group, after controlling for relevant factors. Improvements were not sustained during the physical nudges phase (P=.76) or follow-up (P=.88). Conclusions A digital intervention with gamification and social support features significantly increased the step count of office workers compared with an active control. Physical nudges in the workplace were insufficient to promote the maintenance of behavioral changes achieved in the gamification phase. Future research should explore the long-term effectiveness of similar gamified digital interventions. Trial Registration International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 49129401; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14881571

In recent years, increased attention has been devoted to intergenerational physical activity (PA) programs because they may have several benefits for both children and older adults (e.g., the reduction of ageism). An intergenerational PA program focusing on grandchildren and grandparents in a ‘standard’ family setting that combines PA and cognitive function is innovative and may hold potential for promoting PA and improving cognitive functioning in both grandchildren and grandparents. The aim of this study is to describe the protocol of the GRANDPACT (GRANDparents and GRANDchildren improve their Physical Activity and Cognitive functions using co-creaTion) Project, focusing on the development of an intergenerational, cognitively enriched, movement program for grandchildren and grandparents using the theoretical framework of the “Behaviour Change Wheel” in combination with a co-creation approach. Two co-creation trajectories will be organized to develop the program, followed by a pilot study to refine the program and an RCT with a pre-test (at baseline), a post-test (after 24 weeks), and a follow-up (after 36 weeks) to measure the outcomes of co-PA, cognitive functions, psychosocial well-being, and the quality of the family relationship ingrandchildren and grandparents. The outcomes will be measured using accelerometry for PA, the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) for cognitive functions, and questionnaires for the psychological well-being and quality of the family relationship. Co-development with end-users and stakeholders during both co-creation trajectories is expected to result in an effective, attractive, and feasible program. Co-PA is expected to improve PA, cognitive functioning, psychosocial well-being, and the quality of the family relationships between grandchildren and grandparents.

Many older adults do not reach the recommended level of physical activity, despite many professional-delivered physical activity interventions. Here we study the implementation of a novel physical activity intervention for older adults that is self-sustainable (no financial support) and self-organizing (participants act as organizers) due to peer coaching. We implemented three groups and evaluated process and effect using participatory observations, questionnaires, six-minute walk tests and body composition measures from October 2016 to September 2018. The intervention was implemented by staff without experience in physical activity interventions. Facilitators were a motivated initiator and a non-professional atmosphere for participants to take ownership. Barriers were the absence of motivated participants to take ownership and insufficient participants to ensure the presence of participants at every exercise session. The groups exercised outside five days a week and were self-organizing after 114, 216 and 263 days. The initial investments were 170€ for sport equipment and 81–187 h. The groups reached 118 members and a retention of 86.4% in two years. The groups continue to exist at the time of writing and are self-sustainable. Quality of life increased 0.4 on a ten-point scale (95%CI 0.1–0.7; p = 0.02) and six-minute walk test results improved with 33 m (95%CI 18–48; p

This study aimed to investigate whether (1) acute physical activity has positive effects on response inhibition and lapses of attention; and (2) cognitively engaging physical activity has stronger effects on response inhibition and lapses of attention than aerobic physical activity. Children (n = 89) were randomly assigned to the aerobic or cognitively engaging intervention, or a control condition. Response inhibition and lapses of attention were measured with a stop-signal task using a pre-post design. Multilevel analysis revealed no significant beneficial effect of acute physical activity on response inhibition and lapses of attention, nor differences between the interventions. However, more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) led to better response inhibition and reduced lapses of attention. It is concluded that positive effects of acute physical activity on response inhibition and lapses of attention are dependent on the intensity and duration, without indications for differential effects of the type of activity.

These longitudinal studies in older adults targeted mediated relationships between habit and physical activity (PA). In The Netherlands two independent studies were conducted among 1976 (Study 1: Mage = 63.63, SD = 8.66, 30% functional limitations) and 2140 (Study 2: Mage = 62.75, SD = 8.57, 45% functional limitations) adults aged 50 years or older. Cross-lagged panel designs were applied to examine whether habit mediates the relationship between prior and later PA and whether PA simultaneously mediates the relationship between prior and later habit. Data on habit and PA were collected by means of questionnaires at baseline (t0) and at 6 (t1) and 12 (t2) months after baseline measurement. Results of structural equation modeling analyses were not unambiguous. Indications for the existence of both hypothesized mediation effects were found, but no clear, unequivocal pattern appeared. Somewhat more support was found for the PA-habit-PA path than for the habit-PA-habit path. More research is needed to draw more definitive conclusions.

Bakgrund: Studier har visat att demenssjukdom inte tillhörde det normala åldrandet utan berodde på skador i hjärnan. Demenssjukdomarna påverkade minnet, humöret samt kommunikationsförmåga. Oro, ångest och andra beteendesymtom har förorsakats av sjukdomen. Ångestdämpande och sedativa läkemedel mot symtomen var en vanlig behandling. Tidigare forskning visade att det fanns andra behandlingsmetoder att tillgå. Syfte: Att belysa aktiviteter som minskade negativa symtom och ökade välbefinnandet hos personer med demenssjukdom. Metod: En litteraturstudie av vetenskapliga artiklar genomfördes. Vid granskning framkom olika aktiviteter vilka indelades i en kategori, underkategorier samt effekterna av valda aktiviteter. Resultat: Visade att med olika aktiviteter lindrades negativa symtom och ökade välmåendet samt minskade användandet av sedativa läkemedel. Metoddiskussion: De metoder och strategier som har beskrivits i litteraturen, vilka motsvarade studiens syfte gjorde det möjligt att använda metoden. Resultatdiskussion: Studien visade att det inte fanns några effektiva farmakologiska behandlingar för demenssjukdomar. Det fanns dock olika icke-farmakologiska metoder i kombination med en personcentrerad vård som visade sig haft positiv effekter på beteendemässiga psykiska symtom.Slutsats: Samtliga personer med demenssjukdom hade beteendemässiga psykiska symtom och behövde lindrande åtgärder. Ytterligare forskning sågs som nödvändig inom området för demenssjukdomar. Background: Studies have shown that dementia did not belong to normal aging but was due to damages to the brain. Dementia affects memory, mood and the ability to communicate. Uneasiness, anxiety and other behavioral symptoms are caused by the disease. Treatment was directed at the symptoms and it was common with anxiety-reducing and sedative drugs. Previous research showed that there were other treatment methods available. Purpose: To elucidate activities and strategies to relieve symptoms and increased wellbeing of people with dementia, as well as the effects of the aforementioned. Method: A qualitative literature review of scientific articles was made. After reviewing different activities emerged that were categorized into headings, subheadings and shown effects. Result: Different activities relieved negative symptoms and increased wellbeing as well as reduced usage of sedative pharmaceuticals. Method discussion: Searches showed that previous research existed. Result discussion: The study showed that there were no effective pharmacological treatments of dementia. The need for non-pharmacological methods in combination with person-centered care existed. Conclusion: People with dementia were showing behavioral mental symptoms and in need of relieving activities. Further research is necessary in the field. Datum för godkännande: 2019-11-05

Schools are considered ideal venues to promote physical activity (PA) in children. However, a knowledge gap exists on how to adequately integrate PA into the school day and in particular, on the preferences of children regarding additional PA in school. Therefore, the aim of our qualitative study was to gain comprehensive insight into 10&ndash, 13-year-old primary schoolchildren&rsquo, s perspectives on how to increase PA in the school setting. We conducted nine focus groups (32 girls and 20 boys) with children attending the final two grades of primary school in the Netherlands. We used inductive thematic analysis to analyze the data. The results showed that children were enthusiastic about additional PA in school. Children suggested various ways to increase PA, including more time for PA in the existing curriculum, e.g., physical education (PE), recess, and occasional activities, such as field trips or sports days, school playground adaptation, improving the content of PE, and implementing short PA breaks and physically active academic lessons. Children emphasized variation and being given a voice in their PA participation as a prerequisite to keep PA enjoyable and interesting in the long term. Finally, children mentioned the role of the teacher and making efforts to accommodate all children and their different preferences as important. Children have concrete ideas, acknowledging the challenges that accompany integrating additional PA in school. We therefore recommend actively involving children in efforts to increase school-based PA and to make &ldquo, additional PA in school&rdquo, a shared project of teachers and students.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this paper was to provide a comprehensive narrative review of the relationship between physical activity (PA) and anxiety and the rationale for including it as a treatment option for anxiety disorders. Several gaps in the literature are highlighted alongside recommendations for future research. RECENT FINDINGS: PA in the general population has established efficacy in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease and improving wellbeing. Recent epidemiological data further suggests that people who are more active may be less likely to have anxiety disorders. In addition, evidence from systematic reviews of randomised control trials suggests that exercise training, a subset of PA, can reduce symptoms in anxiety and stress-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia and panic disorder. Anxiety disorders are common, burdensome and costly to individuals and wider society. In addition to the profound negative impact on individuals' wellbeing and functioning, they are associated with worsened physical health, including a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases and premature mortality. Although pharmacotherapy and psychological interventions are helpful for many, these treatment approaches are not effective for everyone and are insufficient to address common physical health complications, such as the elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Given the combined anxiolytic and physical health benefits of increased activity, PA presents a promising additional treatment option for people with anxiety disorders. However, there remain key gaps in the literature regarding the mechanisms underlying the effects of PA, optimal PA protocols, methods of improving adherence and the importance of physical fitness. These must be addressed for PA to be successfully implemented in mental health services. ispartof: CURRENT PSYCHIATRY REPORTS vol:20 issue:8 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Background The objective of this study was to derive evidence-based physical activity guidelines for the general Dutch population. Methods Two systematic reviews were conducted of English language meta-analyses in PubMed summarizing separately randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies on the relation between physical activity and sedentary behaviour on the one hand and the risk of all-cause mortality and incidence of 15 major chronic diseases and conditions on the other hand. Other outcome measures were risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, physical functioning, and fitness. On the basis of these reviews, an expert committee derived physical activity guidelines. In deriving the guidelines, the committee first selected only experimental and observational prospective findings with a strong level of evidence and then integrated both lines of evidence. Results The evidence found for beneficial effects on a large number of the outcome measures was sufficiently strong to draw up guidelines to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour, respectively. At the same time, the current evidence did not provide a sufficient basis for quantifying how much physical activity is minimally needed to achieve beneficial health effects, or at what amount sedentary behaviour becomes detrimental. A general tenet was that at every level of current activity, further increases in physical activity provide additional health benefits, with relatively larger effects among those who are currently not active or active only at light intensity. Three specific guidelines on (1) moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity, (2) bone- and muscle-strengthening activities, and (3) sedentary behaviour were formulated separately for adults and children. Conclusions There is an unabated need for evidence-based physical activity guidelines that can guide public health policies. Research in which physical activity is measured both objectively (quantity) and subjectively (type and quality) is needed to provide better estimates of the type and actual amount of physical activity required for health. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12966-018-0661-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Electronic health (eHealth) and mobile health (mHealth) approaches to address low physical activity levels, sedentary behavior, and unhealthy diets have received significant research attention. However, attempts to systematically map the entirety of the research field are lacking. This gap can be filled with a bibliometric study, where publication-specific data such as citations, journals, authors, and keywords are used to provide a systematic overview of a specific field. Such analyses will help researchers better position their work. Objective: The objective of this review was to use bibliometric data to provide an overview of the eHealth and mHealth research field related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet Methods: The Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection was searched to retrieve all existing and highly cited (as defined by WoS) physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet related eHealth and mHealth research papers published in English between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2016. Retrieved titles were screened for eligibility, using the abstract and full-text where needed. We described publication trends over time, which included journals, authors, and countries of eligible papers, as well as their keywords and subject categories. Citations of eligible papers were compared with those expected based on published data. Additionally, we described highly-cited papers of the field (ie, top ranked 1%). Results: The search identified 4805 hits, of which 1712 (including 42 highly-cited papers) were included in the analyses. Publication output increased on an average of 26% per year since 2000, with 49.00% (839/1712) of papers being published between 2014 and 2016. Overall and throughout the years, eHealth and mHealth papers related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet received more citations than expected compared with papers in the same WoS subject categories. The Journal of Medical Internet Research published most papers in the field (9.58%, 164/1712). Most papers originated from high-income countries (96.90%, 1659/1717), in particular the United States (48.83%, 836/1712). Most papers were trials and studied physical activity. Beginning in 2013, research on Generation 2 technologies (eg, smartphones, wearables) sharply increased, while research on Generation 1 (eg, text messages) technologies increased at a reduced pace. Reviews accounted for 20 of the 42 highly-cited papers (n=19 systematic reviews). Social media, smartphone apps, and wearable activity trackers used to encourage physical activity, less sedentary behavior, and/or healthy eating were the focus of 14 highly-cited papers. Conclusions: This study highlighted the rapid growth of the eHealth and mHealth physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet research field, emphasized the sizeable contribution of research from high-income countries, and pointed to the increased research interest in Generation 2 technologies. It is expected that the field will grow and diversify further and that reviews and research on most recent technologies will continue to strongly impact the field. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Objective: To describe professionals' perceptions of factors that facilitate or hamper the implementation and continuation of a physical activity promotion programme in rehabilitation.Design: This study used a qualitative design.Methods: Semi-structured interviews (n = 22) were conducted with rehabilitation professionals (n = 28) involved in the implementation of a physical activity promotion programme. Two additional interviews were conducted with the programme coordinators (n = 2). The study involved 18 rehabilitation organizations implementing the programme that targets people with disabilities or chronic diseases. Organizations were supported in the implementation process by the programme coordinators.Results: Commonly perceived facilitating factors were: involvement of committed and enthusiastic professionals; agreement with their organizations' vision/wishes; the perceived additional value of the programme; and opportunities to share knowledge and experience with professionals from other organizations. Commonly perceived hampering factors were: uncertainty about continuing the programme; limited flexibility; and lack of support from physicians and therapists to implement the programme.Conclusion: Professionals perceived a heterogeneous set of factors that facilitate and/or hamper the implementation and continuation of a physical activity promotion programme in rehabilitation. Based on these findings, recommendations were formulated to enhance embedding of physical activity promotion during and after rehabilitation.

Background Programs to change health behaviours have been identified as one way to reduce health inequalities experienced by disadvantaged groups. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a behaviour change programme to increase walking and reduce sedentary behaviour of adults with intellectual disabilities. Methods We used a cluster randomised controlled design and recruited participants over 18 years old and not regularly involved in physical activity from intellectual disabilities community-based organisations. Assessments were carried out blind to allocation. Clusters of participants were randomly allocated to the Walk Well program or a 12-week waiting list control. Walk Well consisted of three face-to-face physical activity consultations incorporating behaviour change techniques, written resources for participants and carers, and an individualised, structured walking programme. The primary outcome measured with accelerometers was change in mean step count per day between baseline and 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included percentage time per day sedentary and in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), body mass index (BMI), and subjective well being. Results One hundred two participants in 50 clusters were randomised. 82 (80.4 %) participants completed the primary outcome. 66.7 % of participants lived in the most deprived quintile on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. At baseline, participants walked 4780 (standard deviation 2432) steps per day, spent 65.5 % (standard deviation 10.9) of time sedentary and 59 % percent had a body mass in the obesity range. After the walking programme, the difference between mean counts of the Walk Well and control group was 69.5 steps per day [95 % confidence interval (CI) -1054 to 1193.3]. There were no significant between group differences in percentage time sedentary 1.6 % (95 % CI −2.984 to 6.102), percentage time in MVPA 0.3 % (95 % CI −0.7 to 1.3), BMI −0.2 kg/m2 (95 % CI −0.8 to 0.4) or subjective well-being 0.3 (95 % CI −0.9 to 1.5). Conclusions This is the first published trial of a walking program for adults with intellectual disabilities. Positively changing physical activity and sedentary behaviours may require more intensive programmes or upstream approaches to address the multiple social disadvantages experienced by adults with intellectual disabilities. Since participants spent the majority of their time sedentary, home-based programmes to reduce sitting time may be a viable health improvement approach. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN50494254 Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12966-015-0290-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objectives Habit has been proposed as an explanation of why prior behavior is a good predictor of later behavior. This study examined whether habit mediates the relationship between prior and later physical activity (PA), within the framework of the attitude-social influences-efficacy (ASE) model and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Design A longitudinal design was used. Methods A total of 1976 older adults completed questionnaires on ASE/TPB constructs and PA at baseline, intention at three months, habit at six months, and PA at twelve months. Results Path analyses showed that habit significantly mediates the relationship between prior and later PA, after ASE/TPB variables were taken into account. Conclusions Habit is a partial solution to the question why prior PA is a good predictor of later PA. It is recommended to incorporate habit into the ASE/TPB model.

Background There is a growing interest to study the transfer of evidence-based information into daily practice. The evidence-based programme Rehabilitation, Sports and Exercise (RSE) that aims to stimulate an active lifestyle during and after a rehabilitation period in people with a disability and/or chronic disease is prepared for nationwide dissemination. So far, however, little is known about the implementation of a new programme to stimulate physical activity in people with a disability in a rehabilitation setting. Therefore, a process evaluation of the implementation of the RSE programme within 18 Dutch rehabilitation centres and hospitals is performed in order to gain more insight into the implementation process itself and factors that facilitate or hamper the implementation process. This paper describes the study design of this process evaluation. Methods During a three-year period, the adoption, implementation and continuation of the RSE programme is monitored and evaluated in 12 rehabilitation centres and 6 hospitals with a rehabilitation department in The Netherlands. The main process outcomes are: recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, satisfaction, maintenance and context. The process outcomes are evaluated at different levels (organisational and patient) and different time points. Data collection includes both quantitative (online registration system and questionnaires) and qualitative (focus groups and semi-structured interviews) methods. Discussion The nationwide dissemination of an evidence-based programme to stimulate physical activity and sports during and after a rehabilitation period is extensively monitored and evaluated on different levels (organization and patients) using mixed methods. The study will contribute to the science of translating evidence-based programmes into daily practice of the rehabilitation care. The results of the study can be used to further optimize the content of the RSE programme and to facilitate the implementation in other health facilities. Furthermore, the results of the study can help future implementation processes in the rehabilitation setting. Trial registration The study is registered by The Netherlands National Trial Register: NTR3961. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13012-014-0127-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundThe Active Plus project is a systematically developed theory- and evidence-based, computer-tailored intervention, which was found to be effective in changing physical activity behavior in people aged over 50 years. The process and effect outcomes of the first version of the Active Plus project were translated into an adapted intervention using the RE-AIM framework. The RE-AIM model is often used to evaluate the potential public health impact of an intervention and distinguishes five dimensions: reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. ObjectiveTo gain insight into the systematic translation of the first print-delivered version of the Active Plus project into an adapted (Web-based) follow-up project. The focus of this study was on the reach and effectiveness dimensions, since these dimensions are most influenced by the results from the original Active Plus project. MethodsWe optimized the potential reach and effect of the interventions by extending the delivery mode of the print-delivered intervention into an additional Web-based intervention. The interventions were adapted based on results of the process evaluation, analyses of effects within subgroups, and evaluation of the working mechanisms of the original intervention. We pretested the new intervention materials and the Web-based versions of the interventions. Subsequently, the new intervention conditions were implemented in a clustered randomized controlled trial. ResultsAdaptations resulted in four improved tailoring interventions: (1) a basic print-delivered intervention, (2) a basic Web-based intervention, (3) a print-delivered intervention with an additional environmental component, and (4) a Web-based version with an additional environmental component. Pretest results with participants showed that all new intervention materials had modest usability and relatively high appreciation, and that filling in an online questionnaire and performing the online tasks was not problematic. We used the pretest results to improve the usability of the different interventions. Implementation of the new interventions in a clustered randomized controlled trial showed that the print-delivered interventions had a higher response rate than the Web-based interventions. Participants of both low and high socioeconomic status were reached by both print-delivered and Web-based interventions. ConclusionsTranslation of the (process) evaluation of an effective intervention into an adapted intervention is challenging and rarely reported. We discuss several major lessons learned from our experience. Trial RegistrationNederlands Trial Register (NTR): 2297; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2297 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/65TkwoESp).

Background There are insufficient research reports on the wide-scale dissemination of effective whole-community physical activity (PA) programs. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the wide-scale dissemination of '10,000 Steps', using the RE-AIM framework. Methods Dissemination efforts targeted a large region of Belgium and were concentrated on media strategies and peer networks of specific professional organizations, such as local health promotion services. Heads of department of 69 organizations received an on-line survey to assess project awareness, adoption, implementation and intended continuation of '10,000 Steps'. On the individual level, 755 citizens living in the work area of the organizations were interviewed for project awareness and PA levels. Measures were structured according to the RE-AIM dimensions (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance). Independent sample t and chi-square tests were used to compare groups for representativeness at the organizational and individual level, and for individual PA differences. Results Of all organizations, 90% was aware of '10,000 Steps' (effectiveness - organizational level) and 36% adopted the project (adoption). The global implementation score was 52%. One third intended to continue the project in the future (maintenance) and 48% was still undecided. On the individual level, 35% of citizens were aware of '10,000 Steps' (reach). They reported significantly higher leisure-time PA levels than those not aware of '10,000 Steps' (256 ± 237 and 207 ± 216 min/week, respectively; t = -2.8; p < .005) (effectiveness - individual level). When considering representativeness, adoption of '10.000 Steps' was independent of most organizational characteristics, except for years of experience in PA promotion (7.6 ± 4.6 and 2.9 ± 5.9 years for project staff and non-project staff members, respectively; t = 2.79; p < 0.01). Project awareness in citizens was independent of all demographic characteristics. Conclusions '10,000 Steps' shows potential for wide-scale dissemination but a supportive linkage system seems recommended to encourage adoption levels and high quality implementation.