A recent meta-analysis led by the Department for Economy and Health at the University for Continuing Education Krems shows that exercise programs are similarly effective regardless of their format. The findings offer important guidance for the development of flexible and tailored approaches in health promotion.
The results were published in the latest issue of the renowned journal Nature Human Behaviour. The study’s first author is Marlene Kritz from the Department for Economy and Health, who conducted the research together with international partner institutions.
“We are particularly pleased about the publication in Nature Human Behaviour, as it gives the topic international visibility,” says Kritz. “Our findings show that successful exercise promotion does not depend on a single format, but rather on how well programs are aligned with people’s needs and everyday realities.”
Broad international data set
The analysis is based on 71 international studies involving more than 22,000 participants and compares individual and group-based exercise programs across different settings, both in person and online.
The findings show that individual and group programs are statistically equally effective in promoting physical activity. No significant differences were identified with regard to health-related or psychosocial outcomes either. The study therefore suggests that different formats generally represent equally effective ways of promoting physical activity.
Equally effective, with differences in detail
Differences were observed primarily in functional abilities such as balance, coordination, mobility, and strength, where group-based programs showed slight advantages. In addition, further analyses indicate that programs with intentionally fostered social interaction – so-called “true groups” – may achieve stronger health effects. Online and in-person programs also demonstrated comparable outcomes, opening up new possibilities for scalable and easily accessible exercise programs.
“The findings open up new possibilities for designing exercise programs in a more flexible and targeted way,” says first author Kritz. “Digital and hybrid formats in particular could help reach more people more easily and motivate them to engage in physical activity over the long term.”
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