Maintaining adequate levels of physical activity (PA) is important for the health and well-being of children and young people with cystic fibrosis (CYPwCF). Identifying who maintains adequate levels and who needs targeted support is difficult in the clinical setting. This mixed methods programme of research investigated the maintenance of PA in CYPwCF in 2 phases.
Phase 1 explored factors affecting maintenance of PA in 49 CYPwCF who had experienced the withdrawal of a supervised exercise intervention. A subgroup of 20 CYPwCF and their parents provided greater insight into the barriers to and facilitators for the maintenance of PA through semi-structured interviews. The results established that the supervised exercise intervention worked for some CYPwCF but not for others, and benefits only lasted as long as participation continued. An adult facilitator, sociability of activities, and praise and acknowledgement all helped overcome barriers. Self-efficacy for PA was an important factor in the maintenance of PA.
Phase 2 evaluated the relationships between exercise capacity, self-efficacy for PA and self-reported PA with objectively measured PA in 78 CYPwCF. The results demonstrated that patterns of PA were varied: some CYPwCF were able to maintain regular high levels, some maintained very little activity, and others were active sometimes but not routinely. These patterns were not predictable by 3 simple clinical measurement tools. Self-reported PA was not an accurate representation of actual PA, and whilst self-efficacy for PA is important for the maintenance of PA, it did not predict PA patterns. These findings are significant for CF clinical teams in allocating resources for optimal outcomes. Different CYPwCF need different support to maintain adequate levels of PA. Therefore, it is important to accurately identify PA maintenance patterns, and the factors affecting them, so that clinical teams can facilitate the right type and level of support for individual CYPwCF.