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Just Not Doing It
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Posted on: 02/28/2001
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Most of us know that exercise is good for us, and that we should exercise at least five days a week. We know that exercise is good for our physical and mental well-being. There are organizations that publish guidelines about how much we should exercise. But how many of us turn that knowledge into action?
This study was designed to get a better idea of just how active we are--or aren't--and how this relates to people's beliefs about exercise benefits. Phone surveys were conducted in the United States of 2002 randomly adults. They were asked questions about the amount, duration, and intensity of their weekly exercise habits. They were also asked questions about their opinion of the risks of inactivity to their health, along with other questions about their age, gender, education level, ethnicity, and income level.
When the results were tallied, researchers found that 52 percent of the respondents said that physical inactivity was a very important risk factor for good health, 37 percent felt it was important, and 8 percent believed it was somewhat important. Only 3 percent of the respondents said being inactive wasn't an important risk factor.
Despite the widespread perception that exercise was important to good health, only 32 percent of respondents met the minimum level of physical activity for health benefits. Those that did were more likely to be male and to believe that physical activity was very important to health. Exercise levels didn't seem to be affected significantly by a person's age, income, or ethnicity. This is differerent than the results of other research where these factors did matter.
The researchers conclude that a strong belief in the benefits of exercise does lead to better exercise habits. Respondents with a strong belief in the benefits of exercise were 40 percent more likely to meet exercise guidelines. Males were 45 percent more likely to get the recommended amount of exercise.
The authors suggest that people might exercise more if they had more reasons to help convince them of the benefits of exercise. For example, people who join a gym to lose weight might get more motivation by learning about the positive effects on their mental health or blood pressure. People who start exercising for a specific health condition might be more likely to stick with it if they believe that improving muscle strength and stamina will help them in other ways, too.
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References:
Scott B. Martin, et al. Variables Related to Meeting the CDC/ACSM Physical Activity Guidelines. In Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. December 2000. Vol. 32. No. 12. Pp. 2087-2092.
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*Disclaimer:*The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. |
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