Effectiveness of Start to Run, a 6-week training program for novice runners, on increasing physical activity: a controlled study.

Introduction: The organized sport sector has been identified as a potential setting for physical activity promotion. In the Netherlands, national sporting organizations were funded to develop and implement sporting programs that are easy accessible, especially for the least active population groups. Start to Run, a 6-week training program for novice runners, developed by the Dutch Athletics Organization, is one of these programs. In this study, the effects of Start to Run on physical activity were investigated. Methods: Physical activity levels of Start to Run participants were assessed by means of the Short QUestionnaire to ASsess Health-enhancing physical activity (SQUASH) at baseline, immediately after completing the program, and after six months follow-up. A control group, matched for age and sex, was assessed at baseline and six months follow-up. Compliance with the Dutch physical activity guidelines was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were the total time spent in physical activity and the time spent in each physical activity intensity category. Changes in physical activity within groups were tested with paired t-tests and McNemar tests. Changes between groups were examined with multiple linear and logistic regression analyses. Results: In the Start to Run group, the percentage of people who met the Dutch Norm for Health-enhancing Physical Activity, Fit-norm and Combi-norm increased significantly, both in the short- and longer-term. In the control group, no significant changes in physical activity were observed. When comparing results between groups, significantly more Start to Run participants compared to control group participants were meeting the Fit-norm and Combi-norm after six months follow-up. The differences in physical activity between groups in favor of the Start to Run group could be explained by a significant increase in the time spent in vigorous-intensity activities. Discussion: The results of the current study show that an easy accessible sporting program can influence physical activity behavior of participants positively. As sporting organizations have an enormous reach into community, they could play a major role in promoting physical activity to the general population. Research in the area of effectiveness of sporting programs in increasing physical activity is, however, still scarce. The role of sporting organizations in promoting physical activity should therefore be further explored