RT Journal
A1 Winett RA, Carpinelli RN
T1 LIfestyle and structured interventions to increase physical activity
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1999
FD October 27
VO 282
IS 16
SP 1515
OP 1517
DO 10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-282-16-jbk1027
UL http://dx.doi.org/10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-282-16-jbk1027
AB 
To the Editor: The study by Dr Dunn and colleagues1 was particularly ambitious and commendable because
of its 2-year duration and its focus on woefully unfit men and women, and
the achievment of some modest risk reduction.2
However, neither intervention produced large initial or sustained increases
in activity or, more importantly, in fitness. Bruce treadmill protocol time
only increased 13.8 seconds for the lifestyle group and 22.2 seconds for the
structured exercise group. Consequently, results for VO2peak were
far less than would be expected (1-2 metabolic equivalents [METs]) from most
aerobic exercise programs (an increase of 0.22 METs for lifestyle and 0.38
METs for structured) or, for that matter, what would be expected from resistance
training.3 Overall, 70% to 80% of participants
did not sufficiently improve fitness to be no longer considered in a high-risk
category.1 While body fat decreased, the
mean remained 29%.1