Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28969669›Full record

SynthesisBMC public health2017

Assessment of fidelity in individual level behaviour change interventions promoting physical activity among adults: a systematic review.

Jeffrey D Lambert, Colin J Greaves, Paul Farrand, Rosina Cross, Anne M Haase, Adrian H Taylor

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC public health, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 56 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
56citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

56 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on obesogenic eating behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025
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  8. Measuring implementation fidelity of school-based obesity prevention programmes: a systematic review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2018
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jeffrey D LambertUniversity of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, Magdalen Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK. jdl212@exeter.ac.uk.
Colin J GreavesUniversity of Exeter Medical School, St Luke's Campus, Magdalen Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK.
Paul FarrandClinical Education, Development and Research (CEDAR); Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK.
Rosina CrossDepartment for Health, University of Bath, Wessex House 6.9, Claverton, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
Anne M HaaseCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol, BS8 1TZ, UK.
Adrian H TaylorPlymouth University, N6, ITTC, Tamar Science Park, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8BX, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBehaviour change interventions that promote physical activity have major implications for health and well-being. Measuring intervention fidelity is crucial in determining the extent to which an intervention is delivered as intended, therefore increasing scientific confidence about effectiveness. However, we lack a clear overview of how well intervention fidelity is typically assessed in physical activity trials.

methodsA systematic literature search was conducted to identify peer - reviewed physical activity promotion trials that explicitly measured intervention fidelity. Methods used to assess intervention fidelity were categorised, narratively synthesised and critiqued using assessment criteria from NIH Behaviour Change Consortium (BCC) Treatment Fidelity Framework (design, training, delivery, receipt and enactment).

resultsTwenty eight articles reporting of twenty one studies used a wide variety of approaches to measure intervention fidelity. Delivery was the most common domain of intervention fidelity measured. Approaches used to measure fidelity across all domains varied from researcher coding of observational data (using checklists or scales) to participant self-report measures. There was considerable heterogeneity of methodological approaches to data collection with respect to instruments used, attention to psychometric properties, rater-selection, observational method and sampling strategies.

conclusionsIn the field of physical activity interventions, fidelity measurement is highly heterogeneous both conceptually and methodologically. Clearer articulation of the core domains of intervention fidelity, along with appropriate measurement approaches for each domain are needed to improve the methodological quality of fidelity assessment in physical activity interventions. Recommendations are provided on how this situation can be improved.

Indexed as

IndividualityAdultExerciseHealth PromotionHumansProgram EvaluationAdultsBehavioural interventionBehaviour changeFidelityPhysical activitySystematic review

Identifiers

PMID28969669
PMCPMC5625828

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.