Danish Multicenter Trial Highlights Benefits of Exercise for Chronic Conditions

A recent multicenter trial in Denmark has revealed promising outcomes regarding the combination of personalized exercise therapy and self-management support for adults with multimorbidity. The study, published in Nature Medicine, found that a 12-week intervention program resulted in a statistically significant improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for participants, though the clinical relevance of these findings remains a topic of debate.

Multimorbidity, defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic health conditions, affects more than one-third of adults globally and is expected to increase by 84% by 2050 (World Health Organization, 2023). This rising trend is particularly pronounced in socially disadvantaged populations, who often experience the onset of these conditions 10 to 15 years earlier than their more affluent counterparts. As chronic conditions proliferate, healthcare systems face escalating costs, increased hospital visits, and a heightened burden of disease management.

The MOBILIZE trial, which formed part of a five-year research initiative, involved 228 participants randomly assigned to either the intervention group, receiving tailored exercise therapy in conjunction with usual care, or the control group, which continued standard medical care. The intervention comprised 24 supervised sessions that included 30 minutes of self-management support and 60 minutes of personalized exercise, with physiotherapists trained to adjust exercise intensity based on individual perceived exertion.

Findings indicated that after 12 months, the intervention group showed an improvement in HRQoL scores, rising by 0.050 points compared to a slight decline of 0.014 points in the control group. Notably, 55% of participants in the intervention group achieved a patient-acceptable symptom state, versus 40% in the control group (Skou et al., 2025). Furthermore, secondary outcomes revealed significant improvements in self-rated health, physical function, and mental health metrics.

Despite these positive results, the study's authors cautioned that the observed improvement in HRQoL did not meet the 0.074-point threshold often regarded as the 'minimum important difference' in clinical settings. Additionally, while safety analyses showed no significant differences in adverse events between the groups, the modest nature of the reported benefits raises questions about their practical implications (Pramanik, 2025).

Dr. Sarah Johnson, a Professor of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen, expressed cautious optimism about the findings. "While the results support the notion that personalized exercise and self-management can enhance quality of life, we must remain vigilant about the clinical significance of such improvements," she stated in an interview. "The healthcare community must focus on developing comprehensive, person-centered care strategies that address the complexities of multimorbidity."

The trial's strengths include its pragmatic design, high adherence rates, and involvement of stakeholders in the co-design process. However, limitations such as potential participant bias, the burden of an intensive treatment schedule, and the specific definition of multimorbidity used in the study may affect the generalizability of the findings (Nature Medicine, 2025).

Looking ahead, the researchers advocate for larger, more extensive trials to validate these findings and explore the long-term impacts of combined exercise therapy and self-management support. Such studies could pave the way for innovative approaches to managing multimorbidity and improving patient outcomes on a broader scale. As the global prevalence of chronic conditions continues to rise, the need for effective interventions has never been more urgent.