Health related physical fitness - Body Composition, physical fitness and effects of a tailored physical activity intervention on physical fitness and body composition

Study 1;
Study 1 is based on the National Project “Kartlegging Aktivitet Norge” (the KAN project). This is a national surveillance project, initiated and financed by the Norwegian directorate of health and lead by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. The project is divided into two phases, where phase 1 collected data on physical activity level and determinants for physical activity through a questionnaire and an accelerometer and where phase two collecte4d information on health related physical fitness through objective measuring methods.
Study 1 of the present doctoral work is based on objectively measured data on body composition and musculoskeletal and motor fitness from phase two of this KAN project. The sample was nationally representative and consisted of 904 Norwegian men and women, between the ages of 20 and 85 years. The data from phase two was collected during the spring and fall semesters of 2009. 

Study 2;
Study 2 is a randomised controlled trial, where the main aim is to investigate the effect of a cost effective physical activity intervention. A minimum of 100 inactive men and women between the ages of 42 And 47 years, will be enrolled in the project. They will all go through a health related physical fitness, similar to the one conducted in phase two of the KAN project, in addition to completing a questionnaire based on the one used in phase one of the KAN project. After completing this pre test, the participants will be randomly selected either to be in the control group (n=50), or the intervention group (n=50). The intervention group will receive their results from the pre test, a letter containing information and prompts in addition to a physical activity program in which they are to follow. The participants in the intervention group will further receive two more physical activity programs during the 6 month intervention period, in order to ensure progress. During the intervention period the participants in the intervention group are to be followed up, either by phone or by (e)mail two times a month, to ensure that each intervention participant receives guidance and counselling.
The control group will be encouraged to continue as normal, until the post test has been conducted.
When the intervention period is over, all 100 participants will undergo a post test.
Study two will start up with the pre test in February/march of 2011, with the intervention period starting the 1st of April and ending the 1st of October. In October/November the post test will be conducted.