Predictors of follow-up exercise behavior 6 months after a randomized trial of supervised exercise training in lymphoma patients

Objectives Supervised exercise is beneficial for lymphoma patients, but it needs to be maintained to optimize long-term benefits. Here, we report the predictors of follow-up exercise behavior 6?months after a randomized controlled trial in lymphoma patients. Methods Lymphoma patients were randomly assigned to 12?weeks of supervised aerobic exercise (n?=?60) or usual care (n?=?62). At baseline and post-intervention, data were collected on demographic, medical, health-related fitness, quality of life, and motivational variables. At 6-month follow-up, participants were mailed a questionnaire that assessed exercise behavior and were categorized as meeting or not meeting public health exercise guidelines. Results At 6-month follow-up, 110 participants (90.2%) responded, of which 61 (55.5%) were meeting public health exercise guidelines. In univariate analyses, 16 variables predicted 6-month follow-up exercise behavior. In a stepwise regression analysis, five variables entered the model and explained 38% (p?<?0.001) of the variance including the following: accepting a post-intervention exercise prescription (beta?=?0.33; p?<?0.001), achieving a higher peak power output at post-intervention (beta?=?0.28; p?=?0.001), experiencing a larger positive change in perceived behavioral control (beta?=?0.18; p?=?0.028), having Hodgkin lymphoma (beta?=?0.19; p?=?0.025), and having a stronger post-intervention intention (beta?=?0.18; p?=?0.034). Conclusion Exercise behavior in lymphoma patients 6 months after a randomized trial was predicted by a wide range of demographic, medical, health-related fitness, quality of life, and motivational variables. These findings may help facilitate the uptake of self-directed exercise after short-term supervised exercise in lymphoma patients. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.