OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of a strategy, based on telephone support oriented by accelerometer measurements, on the adherence to physical activity (PA) recommendations in cardiac patients not achieving PA recommendations. DESIGN: Prospective and randomized study. SETTING: All patients had completed a cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP). PARTICIPANTS: Stable non-compliant cardiac (coronary artery disease, heart failure, post cardiovascular surgery) patients (weekly moderate-intensity PA < 150 min) were randomized into an intervention group (IG, n = 19) or a control group (CG, n = 10). INTERVENTIONS: The IG wore an accelerometer for 8 weeks. Every 15 days, feedback and support were provided by telephone. The CG wore the accelerometer during the 8th week of the intervention only. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: active energy expenditure (EE, in Kcal) and the time spent doing light, moderate or intense PA (min/week). RESULTS: In the IG, the time spent at moderate-intensity PA increased from 95.6 +/- 80.7 to 137.2 +/- 87.5 min per week between the 1st and 8th week (p = 0.002), with 36.8% of the sample achieving the target amount of moderate-intensity PA. During the 8th week, the EE averaged 543.7 +/- 144.1 kcal and 266.7 +/- 107.4 kcal in the IG and CG, respectively (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Telephone support based on accelerometer recordings appeared to be an effective strategy to improve adherence to PA in non-compliant patients. This intervention could be implemented after a CRP as inexpensive, modern and easy-to-use strategy.

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