The Stages of Physical Activity and Exercise Behavior: An Integrated Approach to the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

This research aims to verify whether it is possible to explain the health-promoting behaviors based on sociodemographic characteristics by integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) proposed by Ajzen in 1988 and the transtheoretical model (TTM) proposed by Prochaska and DiClemente in 1983. In particular, the aim was to verify whether the variables of the TPB can properly distinguish the stages of change in exercise in the proposed integrated model and to figure out how attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, influence, and intention-can explain the stages of change in exercise. Investigators who have taken previous training for the survey visited and interviewed 3658 people older than 30 years in the chosen town by multistage sampling method from July 27 to July 31, 2003. After the exclusion of inappropriate data out of 760 participants, only data from 584 participants were used for this research. chi2 test, t test, and 1-way analysis of variance were used to identify the difference between the distribution of the stages of change in exercise and the variables of the means. A discriminant analysis to verify the accuracy of the stages of change in exercise by means of the variables of the TPB and a path analysis to verify the fit of the integrated model were also used. The variables of the TPB were useful to satisfactorily distinguish and predict the stages of change in exercise. But to clarify the validity of this model, more diversified research should be conducted in the future, and the results must be accumulated.

Effects of a Tailored Health Promotion Program to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Middle-Aged and Advanced-Age Bus Drivers

“…As strategies for these stages, education, incentives, support from family and colleagues, and social support were suggested by stages and several approaches by stage were proposed. 17,18 In this study, the workers recognized the hazards of health habits and benefits from health activities and required a health promotion program to be implemented through the labor union. The company agreed and decided to establish policies and create an improved atmosphere to save money.…”

Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Physical Fitness of Male Adolescents in Oman

“…Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity in adults, as well as to have positive effects on the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems. 19 Physical activity in adolescence is beneficial to health, 20 whereas inactivity may aggravate cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia in children. 21 There is also a link between physical inactivity and obesity in children.…”

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“…The highest proportion of participants (46.4%) in the present study was in the Contemplation stage, which was almost similar with the findings of 40.3% and 39% contemplators in the study by Arango, Patino, Quintero and Arenas(2011) among urban populations from municipalities in the United States and found by Nishida, Suzuki, Wang and Kira(2003) among female employees in Japan. However, other studies reported that the majority ofparticipants were in Pre-contemplation (Dumith, Gigante & Domingues, 2007 ;Park et al, 2008) or Action stages (Ronda, Assema & Brug, 2001). The differences in these findings could be due to the different staging algorithms applied to classify participants into stages, as there is no standard algorithm available, which causes the comparison of the findings to sometimes be difficult.…”