10 Prescriptions an Hour. Group Treatment and Physical Activity Referral in a Primary Health Care Setting (10PAR)

A sedentary lifestyle and low levels of physical activity in populations are major health problems today and contribute substantially to poor health and diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. An increased and systematic effort to increase physical activity in the Swedish population in general, and in patients with type 2 diabetes/hypertension in particular, is important. Written prescriptions of physical activity with follow-up (i.e., PAR), is a cost-efficient way to increase physical activity in individuals.

The aim of this trial is to study whether physical activity is increased by a group method involving PARs in patients with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes compared with a control group that receives usual care in the same primary care setting. Follow-up will be performed at 6 and 12 months.

This trial is being conducted to determine whether it is possible to offer PARs to more patients in a way that requires less effort and resources. The intervention in this study requires 10 minutes of a health care worker's time per patient during a 6-month period. Each patient requires 100 minutes with an instructor who oversees the group intervention.

Group treatment is given 3 weeks after baseline and at 6 months. Follow-up at 12 months involves data collection, but no intervention.

An empowerment process, with the 5-A-model as framework, will be used in the clinical intervention.

All participants will be required to fill in questionnaires and wear an ActiGraph GTM1/GTM3 for 7 days at baseline and at 6 and 12 months.