Main outcomes of the Move More for Life Trial : a randomised controlled trial examining the effects of tailored-print and targeted-print materials for promoting physical activity among post-treatment breast cancer survivors

Background: Participation in physical activity can improve the health outcomes of breast cancer survivors. To impact public health, broad-reaching sustainable interventions that promote physical activity are needed. Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of two distance-based interventions for promoting physical activity among breast cancer survivors compared with a standard recommendation control. Methods: Breast cancer survivors who had finished ‘active’ cancer treatment were eligible to participate. Participants (n = 330) were randomly assigned to receive one of the following mail delivered interventions: three computer-tailored newsletters, a previously developed breast cancer specific physical activity booklet or a pamphlet detailing the public health recommendations for physical activity (control). Primary outcomes were self-reported moderate to vigorous aerobic activity and participant’s self-reported resistance training activity at 4 months post-baseline. Secondary outcomes were pedometer step counts, whether or not participants were meeting the physical activity guidelines, time spent in sedentary behaviour, fatigue and health-related quality of life. Results: Participants randomised into the tailored-print intervention group were three times more likely to commence resistance training and meet the resistance-training guidelines immediately afterthe intervention than participants allocated to the control group. There were no other significant intervention effects. Conclusion: Computer-tailored newsletters may be an effective strategy for enhancing resistance based physical activity among breast cancer survivors. The null findings relating to other outcomes may be due to ceiling effects (in the case of aerobic activity, fatigue and health-related quality of life) or the sensitivity of the measure used (in the case of sitting time). These issues require further exploration.