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Implementing theory-based interventions is an effective way to influence physical activity (PA) behaviour in the population. This meta-analysis aimed to (1) determine the global effect of theory-based randomised controlled trials dedicated to the promotion of PA among adults, (2) measure the actual efficacy of interventions against their theoretical objectives and (3) compare the efficacy of single- versus combined-theory interventions. A systematic search through databases and review articles was carried out. Our results show that theory-based interventions (k = 82) significantly impact the PA behaviour of participants (d = 0.31, 95% CI 0.24, 0.37). While moderation analyses revealed no efficacy difference between theories, interventions based on a single theory (d = 0.35; 95% CI 0.26, 0.43) reported a higher impact on PA behaviour than those based on a combination of theories (d = 0.21; 95% CI 0.11, 0.32). In spite of the global positive effect of theory-based interventions on PA behaviour, further research is required to better identify the specificities, overlaps or complementarities of the components of interventions based on relevant theories.
Gourlan et al. (2014) studied this question.