Counselling that draws out people's own reasons may help them move more.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   Ten trials of adults with long-term illnesses, with 19 to 334 people in each. Seven were with middle-aged adults who were overweight or obese, or had heart and blood vessel disease. Two were with multiple sclerosis, and one was with fibromyalgia.

2. 02

   What they did

   The counselling is a talking style that helps people find their own reasons to change. Sessions ranged from 1 to 11, over 3 to 18 months, mostly in person or by phone. Most trials compared it with usual care or with an education group.

3. 03

   What happened

   Physical activity rose a little more than in other groups, and the trials agreed with each other. Trials that checked the counselling was done as planned showed a larger rise, but there were only three. For fitness and exercise capacity, the results were unclear. Most trials measured activity by asking people.

What the review found

1. Helped

   Across 8 trials, talking through people's own reasons raised activity a little.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies with 921 people · vs people who got usual care or an education group · the authors rated their certainty moderate

2. Helped

   In 3 trials that checked the counselling was done as planned, the rise was larger.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested

   Pooled analysis of 3 studies · vs people who got usual care or an education group

3. No difference

   In 4 trials of overweight or obese people, counselling made no clear difference.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested

   Pooled analysis of 4 studies with 498 people · vs people who got usual care or an education group · the authors rated their certainty moderate

4. No difference

   In 2 trials of people with heart and blood vessel disease, the counselling made no clear difference.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested

   Pooled analysis of 2 studies with 115 people · vs people who got usual care or an education group · the authors rated their certainty moderate

Source