Yksilöllisen liikuntaneuvonnan vaikutukset kehon koostumukseen ja liikunnan määrään

Plosila, E. 2025. Effects of individualized physical activity counseling on body composition and physical activity levels. Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Master’s thesis in Exercise Medicine, 55 pp. Insufficient physical activity is a concerning societal issue and increasing physical activity permanently and independently is often challenging. For this reason, physical activity counseling has been developed to provide individualized support to achieve these goals. According to studies, physical activity counseling can encourage individuals to engage in regular exercise. Many municipalities have recognized its benefits, and the number of municipalities offering physical activity counseling is growing. However, there is still limited scientific research on the effectiveness of Finnish physical activity counseling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of approximately one year of individualized physical activity counseling on body composition and physical activity levels in 23–65-year-old adults with low physical activity. The results were also analyzed between those who successfully increased their physical activity and those who did not. Additionally, the relationship between changes in physical activity and changes in body composition was examined. The data for this study was collected from the electronic client information systems used by Eloisa's lifestyle counseling within the South Savo Wellbeing Services County.The individualized physical activity counseling process lasted on average 13 months and consisted of initial and final visits, along with regularly scheduled follow-up meetings in between. The study sample included clients who had completed both the initial and final measurements, ensuring that all variables examined in the study were fully recorded in the electronic systems (n=15). Body composition was measured using the Tanita MC 980 MA device, and data on weekly physical activity were based on the clients' self-reported estimates. During the ...