Table 2.

Summary of characteristics of included studies with theoretically relevant variables for conducting moderator analyses

Studies by author and date order	Group characteristics	Setting	Design	Delivered mode	Duration and timing of walking in groups intervention	Assessment of physical activity	Measurements	Gender	Targeted age	Delivered by
[36] Kriska et al. 1986, [56] Pereira et al. 1998	Postmenopausal women (n = 229) Mean age: 57.5	Community	RCT	Training sessions Newsletter	Twice per week with goal to reach 60 minutes per session, for 8 weeks	Pedometers Paffenbarger questionnaire (blocks walked)* Monthly log sheets Multiple item scale	Baseline 1 year 2 years	Only women	Middle age adults	Lay people
[37] McAuley et al. 1994	Adults (n = 228) Mean age: 54.52	Community	RCT	Training sessions	Three times per week starting with 10-15 min and progressing to 40 min, for 5 months.	Diaries	Baseline 5 months	Both genders	Middle age adults	Experts with the research area and the population
[57] McAuley et al. 2003
[38] Rogers 1997	African American women (n = 35) Mean age: 51.6	Community	Non-RCTs	Training session Discussion groups	Once per week for 60 to 90 minutes, for 5 weeks	7-days recall physical activity questionnaire developed by Steinhardt and Dishman (1989 modified by Blair 1984) * Walking calendars	Baseline 5 weeks 7 weeks	Only women	Middle age adults	Researcher
[39] Sullivan et al. 1998	Older adults with chronic diseases (n = 52) Mean age: 71.2	Hospital	RCT	Discussion group Self help manual for participants	Three times per week for approximately 90 minutes, for 8 weeks	AIMS physical activity subscale* Diaries Self report questions	Baseline 8 weeks 1 year	Both genders	Older adults	Researcher
[40] Resnick 2002	Older adults (n = 34) Mean age:88	Retirement community	RCT	One-to-one visit	Three times per week for 20 minutes, for 6 months.	YPAS (interviewed administered questionnaire) Diaries *	Baseline, 2 months 6 months	Only women	Older adults	Experts with the research area and the population
[41] Coull et al. 2004	Older adults with ischemic heart disease (n = 289) Mean age: 67.5	Hospital	RCT	Training sessions	Once per month for approx 2 hour, for 1 year	Questions about previous week’s physical activity	Baseline 1 year	Both genders	Older adults	Lay volunteers
[13] Fisher et al. 2004, [58] Fisher et al. 2004a, [59] Fisher et al. 2002, [60] Michael et al. 2009, [61] Rowland et al. 2004	Older adults (n = 527) Mean age: 74.5	Community (Neighbourhood)	RCT	Training sessions (for leaders) Discussion group Self help manual Monthly newsletter	Three times per week for approximately 1 hour, for 6 months	Multiple item scale (3 items measuring the frequency of neighbourhood walking activity)	Baseline 3 months 6 months	Both genders	Older adults	Lay people
[42] Nguyen et al. 2002, [55] Nguyen et al. 2005	Adults (n = 575) Mean age: 54.6	Community	Pre post study	Newsletter for walkers Training session for walk leaders Guide for walk leaders Walking kit	Two to three times per week for 12 months (duration of sessions not given)	Multiple item scale (duration and frequency of physical activity)	Baseline 12 months	Both genders	Middle age adults	Lay volunteers
[43] Staten et al. 2005	Adults at risk for chronic diseases (n = 432) Mean age: 52.7	Community	Pre post study	Self help manuals for walk leaders Training session on preventing chronic diseases	Three times per week for 1 year (duration of sessions not given)	MLPAQ	Baseline 12 weeks	Both genders	Middle age adults	Lay people
[44] Banks-Wallace et al. 2007	African American women at risk for CVD (n = 36) Mean age: 50.3	Community (Neighbourhood)	Pre post study	Discussion groups Self help manuals (Stanford Walking Kit)	Twice per week for 1 year (duration of sessions not given)	Pedometers * CAPSPAQ Diaries/ walking calendars	Baseline 12 months 18 months	Only women	Middle age adults	Researcher/ professional story teller
[62] Banks-Wallace et al. 2005
[45] Hogue 2007	African American women (n = 46) Mean age: 46	Community (Church)	Non-RCTs	education meetings- sessions educational material remind calls	Daily for 10 weeks	Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA I & RAPA II) Pedometer Six minute walk test Physical Activity Minutes Log Sheet * Buddy Support Log: minutes spent exercising with buddy	Baseline 10 weeks	Only women	Middle age adults	Research assistant (faculty members and graduate students) – did not participated as subjects
[46] Estabrooks et al. 2008	Adults (n = 380) Mean age: 46	Community	Non-RCTs	Not stated	8 weeks intervention	Two questions, which assesses moderate physical activity* Survey (centre for disease and prevention behavioral risk factor surveillance survey)	Baseline to 8 weeks, Baseline to 6 months 8 weeks to 6 months	Both genders	Middle age adults	Ncl
[63] Burke et al. 2010,
[47] Jancey et al. 2008; [64] Jancey et al. 2008a, [65] Jancey et al. 2006, [66] Jancey et al. 2007, [67] Jancey et al. 2011	Older adults (n = 573) Mean age: 69.2	Community (Neighbourhood)	Non-RCTs	Training sessions Self help manuals	Twice per week started with 10 minutes and built up to 45 min and gradually increase intensity, for 6 months	IPAQ1	Baseline 3 months 6 months	Both genders	Older adults	Lay volunteers
[48] Krieger et al. 2009	Adults (n = 106) Mean age: ncl	Community	Pre – post study	Walk kit from California centre of physical activity	Five times per week for 1 hour (which varied depending on walker’s capacity)	Behavioural risk factor surveillance system questionnaire		Both genders	Middle age adults	Lay people2
[49] Zoellner et al. 2010	Adults (n = 112) Mean age: 44	Community	Non-RCTs	Training sessions Manual	Once per month for approx 90 min education session and walk throughout the week	Face-to-face administered questionnaire including past week physical activity recall Pedometer *	Baseline 3 months 6 months	Both genders	Middle age adults	Lay volunteers
[68] Zoellner et al. 2007
[69] Zollenner et al. 2009
[70] Zoellner et al. 2011
[71] Powers 2007
[50] Takeda 2011	Adults (n = 47) Mean age: 59.7	Community	Non-RCTs	Group instruction classes- lectures Newsletters	140 minutes sessions for 8 weeks (number of sessions not specified)	Pedometer with an accelerometer	Baseline 2 months 6 months	Both genders	Middle age adults	Staff
[51] Lee 2012	African American and Hispanic or Latina women (n = 322) Mean age: 45.7	Community	RCT	Sessions	6 sessions for a period of 6 months with the goal to gradually increase walking to recommended guidelines	IPAQ Accelerometer protocol *	Baseline 6 months	Only women	Middle age adults	Trained graduate students in psychology, public health or education
[52] Maki 2012	Older adults at risk of mental decline (n = 150) Mean age: 72	Community	RCT	Group meetings	Once a week for 90 minutes for 3 months.	Pedometer	Baseline 3 months	Both genders	Older adults	Registered physical trainers or health nurses
[53] Thomas 2012	Older adults (n = 399) Mean age: 72	Community centre for older people	RCT	Group-based, face-to-face counselling and advice Monthly telephone calls about 15 min	Once per month for 12 months with goal to reach 30 minutes three to five days per week	IPAQ * Pedometer	Baseline 6 months 12 months	Both genders	Older adults	Staff

List of abbreviation: CAPSPAQ: Cross Cultural Activity Participation Study Physical Activity Questionnaire; IPAQ: International Physical Activity Questionnaire; MLPAQ: Minnesota Leisure time Physical Activity Questionnaire; YPAS: Yale Physical Activity Survey; AIMS: Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale.

Lay people = people who received basic training to deliver the intervention, that is not part of their professional role.

Professionals = people who have previous education and work on behaviour change interventions as part of their professional.

* used as a basis for calculated effect sizes in meta-analysis.