Researchers commissioned by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme carried out a systematic review that identified 8 randomised controlled trials on exercise referral schemes.
These studies showed weak evidence for short-term (i.e. up to 12-months’ follow up) increases in physical activity and reductions in the levels of depression, in sedentary individuals after they had taken part in an exercise referral scheme compared to those who received simply advice. There was no demonstrable difference between taking part in an exercise referral scheme or other physical activity promotion intervention such as a walking programme. The review found no consistent evidence in favour of exercise referral schemes in terms of benefits such as physical fitness, psychological well-being, overall health-related quality of life, blood pressure, serum lipid levels, measures of obesity, glycaemic control of respiratory function.
Dr. Toby Pavey, Associate Research Fellow in the Peninsula Technology Assessment Group at PCMD who coordinated the study, said: “Our study does not question the importance of physical activity for good health: what it does do is question the effectiveness of the exercise referral programme as it is delivered at present. It is clear that with increasing pressure on NHS budgets and changes to the way in which services are commissioned as part of current NHS reforms, more work needs to be done to establish how existing referral programmes may be made more effective and who should they be targeted towards.”
