• Effect size and 95% CI for change in Physical Activity by 7 Day Physical Activity Recall at 3 months between groups
  

• Effect size and 95% CI for change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness at 3 months by modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test
  
• Effect size and 95% CI for change in Depression by Beck Depression Inventory at 3 months
  
• Physical Activity Staging Algorithm (Norman, 1998)
  
• Motives for Physical Activity Measure (Ryan et al, 1997)
  
• Self Efficacy for Overcoming Barriers to Exercise (Garcia and King, 1991)
  
• Outcomes Expectancies for Exercise (Mascola 2004)
  
• Health Care Climate Questionnaire (Williams, 1996)
  
• General Causality Orientations Scale (Deci and Ryan)
  
• Treatment Self Regulation Questionnaire (Deci and Ryan)
  
• Mediators of Exercise Questionnaire (Mascola)
  
• Cholestech LDX lipoprotein and glucose profile
  
• Resting Heart Rate
  
• Blood Pressure Omron automated sphygmomanometer
  
• Waist Circumference
  
• Percent Body Fat Omron bioelectric impedence
  
• Polar OwnIndex score
  

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiologic evidence suggests that overweight persons who engage in modest amounts of physical activity - even that insufficient to produce or maintain weight loss – are at significantly reduced risk for health complications including all-cause mortality. Interventions for overweight persons targeting increased physical activity rather than weight loss as the main outcome of treatment have not been well studied and could represent simpler, more sustainable, and more cost-effective approaches in addressing the obesity epidemic.

METHOD: Pilot randomized controlled trial. Sedentary patients with BMI 25-45, and no major contraindications for unsupervised physical activity recruited. Participants randomized to receive either brief consultation consisting of 3 in-person meetings, a workbook, and limited telephone contact or usual care with their medical provider including access to community weight-loss groups/resources. Intervention therapists novice pre-professional students. The intervention is manualized and coded for treatment integrity. The main outcome measures are Cohen’s d effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals for the change in moderate-equivalent intensity physical activity/week at 3 months relative to baseline assessed by a blinded assessor using the Stanford 7-Day Physical Activity Recall. Secondary outcomes include effect sizes and confidence intervals for changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and depression using the modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness test and Beck Depression Inventory. Analyses to be performed by intention to treat. Missing data to be imputed by baseline observation carried forward.