Positive and negative wellbeing as predictors of exercise uptake in Crohn's disease: An exploratory study

In this study, we set out to evaluate the efficacy of a 12-month exercise intervention on both positive (illness acceptance, life satisfaction) and negative psychological wellbeing variables (anxiety, depression) in patients with Crohn's disease. The study took the form of a randomized-controlled trial. However, there were no differences between the exercise and control groups in scores on these variables at 12 months or in change scores. Data from exercise diaries completed by participants in the exercise condition indicated wide variation in adherence to the exercise programme. Our remaining analyses therefore examined relations between exercise uptake and psychological wellbeing variables within the exercise condition. We found significant associations between exercise uptake and both illness acceptance and life satisfaction at the start and at the end of the study, but there was no relation with change scores on these variables. Linear multiple regression analysis indicated that baseline illness acceptance prospectively predicted exercise uptake. In view of the dearth of well controlled studies examining relations between exercise uptake and psychological wellbeing, and the common assumption that the former causally determines the latter, we call for future researchers to test for the reverse causal pathway, i.e. that supported by our findings.