Is the perception of time pressure a barrier to healthy eating and physical activity among women?

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the proportion of women reporting time is a barrier to healthy eating and physical activity, the characteristics of these women and the perceived causes of time pressure, and to examine associations between perceptions of time as a barrier and consumption of fruit, vegetables and fast food, and physical activity. Design: A cross-sectional survey of food intake, physical activity and perceived causes of time pressure. Setting: A randomly selected community sample. Subjects: A sample of 1580 women self-reported their food intake and their perceptions of the causes of time pressure in relation to healthy eating. An additional 1521 women self-reported their leisure-time physical activity and their perceptions of the causes of time pressure in relation to physical activity. Results: Time pressure was reported as a barrier to healthy eating by 41 % of the women and as a barrier to physical activity by 73 %. Those who reported time pressure as a barrier to healthy eating were significantly less likely to meet fruit, vegetable and physical activity recommendations, and more likely to eat fast food more frequently. Conclusions: Women reporting time pressure as a barrier to healthy eating and physical activity are less likely to meet recommendations than are women who do not see time pressure as a barrier. Further research is required to understand the perception of time pressure issues among women and devise strategies to improve women's food and physical activity behaviours.

Speed Kills: The Complex Links Between Transport, Lack of Time and Urban Health

“…2 A study focusing on women in Melbourne found that time pressure was reported as a barrier TRANTERto both healthy eating and to engaging in physical activity. 34 In this study, women who identified time pressure as an obstacle to healthy eating were more likely to eat fast food more frequently, less likely to eat fruit or vegetables, and less likely to meet physical activity recommendations. Another study found that one in five health experts ranked time pressure as the most important social trend leading to increasing levels of obesity.…”

“…36 Not surprisingly, persons who spend more time in paid work are less likely to meet physical activity guidelines than those who spend fewer hours in the paid workforce. 34 Thus, anything that can reduce time spent at work and hence increase free time may have a positive impact on healthy behaviours, particularly relating to diet and exercise. The next section explores the question as to whether time pressure could be exacerbated by a reliance on speed as a solution to urban transport problems.…”

Psychosocial Factors and Health Behavior among Korean Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

“…Analysis of the responses showed that individuals with jobs did not engage in regular exercise activities. Lack of time has been reported to be a strong perceived barrier for exercise, and this trend is particularly significant among employed individuals (Welch et al, 2009). …”

Efeito do treinamento intervalado de alta intensidade versus treinamento contínuo na composição corporal: uma revisão sistemática com meta-análise

“…Contudo, modalidades que demandem menor tempo despendido podem influenciar a adesão dos indiví-duos a programas de exercícios. Nesse sentido, o HIIT proporcionou respostas comparáveis aos do CONT, exigindo um comprometimento ~20% menor no tempo, indicando possibilidade de prescrição/implementação na gestão da obesidade e sobrepeso [8][9][10] . Entretanto, Keating et al 21 relatam que os resultados obtidos com a utilização do HIIT como estratégia para o controle da gordura corporal ainda são controversos, o que corroboramos com os achados desta meta-análise.…”

“…As recomendações de exercícios físicos para perda peso concentram-se no acúmulo de 150 a 250 min/sem para perda moderada e >250 a 420 min/sem para perdas mais significativas, em atividades contínuas de intensidades moderadas como caminhadas ou corrida 6 . Entretanto, essas diretrizes não conseguem ser atendidas pela maior parte da população adulta 7 , sendo a falta de tempo um dos principais motivos para a não adesão aos programas de emagrecimento [8][9][10] . Sendo assim, novas modalidades de exercícios físicos têm sido propostas na tentativa de promover intervenções eficientes para perda de peso e/ ou gordura corporal.…”