Follow-up contacts may help physical activity gains last
Booster support collectively showed a signal for maintaining activity, but the best format and schedule remain uncertain.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Programs with follow-up contacts showed better activity maintenance than programs alone. Analyses linked more contacts with greater activity, and remote or mixed delivery with greater activity than in-person contacts. These patterns do not establish an optimal schedule or format. Results using self-reported activity were favourable, but other measurement methods were not clarified in the abstract.
The abstract does not explain the scale or give uncertainty bounds for the added-effect estimate. It also omits participant details and risk-of-bias results, limiting interpretation of this abstract-based summary.
What researchers found
Physical activity maintenance
Programs with boosters versus programs alone; the meta-analysis assessed moderate-to-vigorous activity change from baseline to the latest follow-up. Follow-up lengths were not reported.
What the review examined
Researchers grouped follow-up contacts by type and number, then assessed activity maintenance. Calls and text messages were common formats. The pooled analysis tracked moderate-to-vigorous activity from baseline to the latest follow-up.
Interpreting the formats
The overall finding applies to booster support collectively. The abstract does not establish separate effects for calls or messages. Its authors call for more research on the best number and format of follow-up contacts.
The original publication
Effectiveness of booster strategies to promote physical activity maintenance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Tarantino G, Ntoumanis N, Neville R et al.
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41194192
- Record checked
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