Flowchart of participant’s recruitment and trial design.

<p><i>Note:</i> During follow-ups of both the intervention and the control groups, some participants were contacted by phone, increasing the number of attendees from previous follow-up.</p

Month 0 (baseline) characteristics of intervention and control groups.

<p>SD = standard deviation; IR = interquartile range; MET = metabolic equivalent.</p

Measures of self-reported health status.

<p><i>Note:</i> Means and standard deviations are reported for each outcome measure at month 0 and at month 3, 9 and 15 until completion of the study. Means were generated using participants with data at least three time points for the outcome of interest. P-values are based on linear mixed modelling. An increase in the scores of the SF-12 scales means an improvement in the perceived rate of wellbeing.</p>*<p>P-values are interpreted from the results of comparisons between specific time points. When the p-value interpreted is from the group-by-time interaction effect, the change between two time points for the two groups is compared.</p>**<p>Bonferroni post-hoc tests were used with significant interactions in the IG (p<.001).</p><p>IG = intervention group; CG = control group; PF = physical function; PCS = physical composite score; MCS = mental composite score; SD = standard deviation; CI = confidence interval.</p

Effects of the exercise program on the total number of visits and variation of visits (before-after) at month 15.

<p>Note: Mann Whitney U test was performed unless indicated.</p>*<p>Chi Square test was performed.</p><p>IG = Intervention group; CG = Control group; V = variation of visits (before-after); SD = standard deviation; IR = interquartile range; CI = confidence interval; PHC = Primary Healthcare Centers.</p