Value of gym-based exercise communities for young adults receiving antipsychotic medications: an ongoing pragmatic, single-blinded multicenter, randomized controlled trial – The Vega trial

Purpose
To assess effectiveness of a four-month supervised, gym-based exercise community intervention compared to usual care in young adults receiving antipsychotics.

Study design
The Vega trial is a pragmatic, single-blinded, multicentre randomised study. Inclusion criteria are 1) 18-35 years and 2) current and for more than one month treatment with a regular daily dose of antipsychotic medication. Participants are being allocated 2:1 to either 12-month intervention or usual care. The intervention group is offered three weekly Vega Exercise Community sessions for four months. The exercise sessions are conducted out in real-life functional training gyms by experienced instructors who completed a Vega-specific educational programme. The usual care group are offered to participate in the Vega Exercise Community for four months after the last assessment.

Outcomes
Assessments are carried out at baseline, four, six, and 12 months. The primary outcome is mean change in personal recovery assessed by the questionnaire; Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery at four months. Secondary outcomes include changes in mental health, health-related quality of life, behavioural and functional symptoms, body composition, anthropometric, HbA1c, blood lipids, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Perspectives
The Vega trial will evaluate the effectiveness of offering/implementing an easy access program that can provide training of social skills, and potentially reduce experience of loneliness, and extrinsic and intrinsic stigmatization, which may improve personal recovery. The Vega trial has the potential to create a bridge between the mental health care and the real-world setting and create an infrastructure that promotes and/or maintains physical activity and social inclusion.