Table 2 Data regarding primary outcome measures, (Mean ± SD), collected at baseline and at subsequent visits at 3, 9 and 15 months

Leisure exercise time

(Minutes physical activity/week

< 60

195 ± 96***

251 ± 149***

300 ± 165**

< 0.001***

Blood pressure(mm Hg)

   Systolic blood pressure

147.4 ± 7.8

141.7 ± 9.8***

136.6 ± 8.3***

132.9 ± 6.7**

-14.5 ± 8.3

< 0.001***

   Diastolic blood pressure

84.8 ± 8.4

83.8 ± 7.6

79.7 ± 6.6***

79.7 ± 6.4**

-5.1 ± 5.8)

< 0.001***

Heart rate (b/min)

67.3 ± 10.7

64.1 ± 10.5*

63.2 ± 6.8*

62.4 ± 6.2*

-4.9 ± 8.7

0.003**

Weight (kg)

89.7 ± 14.1

89.3 ± 14.0

89.0 ± 14.2

88.4 ± 13.6*

-1.2 ± 3.4

0.048*

BMI (kg/m²)

32.0 ± 4.8

31.8 ± 4.9

31.7 ± 5.0

31.4 ± 4.8*

-0.6 ± 1.2

0.001**

Waist circumference (cm)

103.2 ± 11.3

100.8 ± 11.0*

100.4 ± 10.0*

99.7 ± 10.3*

-3.5 ± 4.1

< 0.001***

Lipid status (mmol/l)

   Cholesterol

6.1 ± 1.0

6.1 ± 1.3

5.8 ± 0.9*

5.7 ± 0.9*

-0.4 ± 1.0

0.02*

   High density lipoprotein cholesterol

1.5 ± 0.3

1.5 ± 0.3

1.4 ± 0.3

1.4 ± 0.4

0.6

   Low density lipoprotein cholesterol

3.7 ± 0.9

3.7 ± 1.1

3.4 ± 0.9

3.4 ± 0.9

0.6

   Triglycerides

1.9 ± 0.8

1.9 ± 0.9

1.8 ± 0.9

1.8 ± 0.8

0.7

   Plasma glucose

5.4 ± 0.8

5.6 ± 1.2

5.6 ± 1.0

5.6 ± 1.1

0.35

   HbA1c (%)

4.7 ± 0.6

4.7 ± 0.7

4.7 ± 0.6

4.8 ± 0.6

0.18

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO_{2 max})

Dependent sample t-test

   lit/min

2.0 ± 0.4

Not measured

Not measured

2.2 ± 0.5

0.23 ± 0.34

0.001**

   ml/kg

22.6 ± 4.4

Not measured

Not measured

25.6 ± 5.6

2.94 ± 3.8

< 0.001***