To examine whether physical activity on prescription in routine primary care patients would influence physical activity level and quality of life 6 months later. In 2001-2003, 13 Swedish primary health care units took part in an uncontrolled clinical study. If a patient in primary health care needed physical activity preventively or for treatment of a disease and patient-centered motivational counseling found physical activity to be suitable, individualized physical activity could be prescribed. Patients (n=481) of both sexes and all ages [75% women, mean age 50 (12-81)] participated in the study. Self-reported physical activity, readiness to change to a more physically active lifestyle and quality-of-life data were collected through questionnaires. The follow-up rate was 62% at 6 months. Intention-to-treat analysis showed a significant increase (P<0.01) in self-reported physical activity level, the stages of action and maintenance of physical activity as well as quality of life. Physical activity level, stages of change and quality of life increased analogically, indicating that physical activity on prescription may be suitable as a conventional treatment in an ordinary primary health care setting to promote a more physically active lifestyle.

The Categorical mode exhibits the strongest validity and Open mode the weakest. The PA questions may be used on a population level, or as a tool for determining patents' appropriateness for treatment.

Individualized PAP improves body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in sedentary older overweight individuals. PAP might be useful in clinical practice to counteract the epidemic of sedentary lifestyle and concomitant cardiometabolic disorders.

Background Physically inactive and sedentary lifestyles are negatively related to both mental health and cognition. For office-workers, who spend two-thirds of their workday sitting, it is important to improve these lifestyles. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of multi-component interventions, incorporating individual, environmental and organizational changes, to increase physical activity or reduce sedentary behavior among office-workers in order to improve mental health and cognition. Methods a 3-arm, clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT) with waiting list control group amongst adult office-workers of two large Swedish companies. Cluster teams will be randomized into 6-month interventions or to a passive waiting list control group which will receive the allocated intervention with a 6-month delay. Two multicomponent interventions will be studied of which one focuses on improving physical activity and the other on reducing sedentary behavior. Both interventions include 5 sessions of motivational counselling. In the physical activity intervention persons also get access to a gym and team leaders will organize lunch walks and encourage to exercise. In the sedentary behavior intervention standing- and walking meetings will be implemented and team leaders will encourage to reduce sitting. The recruitment target is 110 office-workers per arm (330 in total). Measurements will be repeated every 6 months for a total intended duration of 24 months. Proximal main outcomes are physical activity measured with accelerometers and sedentary behavior with inclinometers. Distal outcomes are self-reported mental health and a cognition test battery. Additional outcomes will include cardiovascular fitness, body composition, sleep, self-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior, other health habits, physical health, and working mechanisms from blood samples and questionnaires. Discussion This cluster RCT will contribute to the currently available evidence by comparing the effectiveness of multi-component interventions targeting physical activity or sedentary behavior with the end goal of improving mental health and cognition. This study is strong in its cluster randomized design, numerous objective outcome measures and long-term follow-up. The exact content of the interventions has been defined by combining theory with results from a larger research project as well as having a continuous dialogue with the involved companies. Trial registration ISRCTN92968402 . Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-6589-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.