Messages to promote physical activity: Are descriptors of required duration and intensity related to intentions to be more active?
نویسندگان
1 School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough
2 School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
3 Academic Policy and Standards, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
4 School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough
5 School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, The NIHR Leicester‑Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester and Loughborough, Leicestershire,
6 School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough
doi
چکیده
Introduction: Mass‑media campaigns such as, “Change4Life’ in the UK and “getactive America” in the US, promote physical activity (PA) recommendations of at least150 min/week of moderate‑to‑vigorous PA (MVPA). We investigated whether differentmessages used in MVPA campaigns were associated with intention to engage in moreMVPA. Materials and Methods: Theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs; subjectivenorms, affective attitudes, instrumental attitudes and perceived behavioral control (PBC)were applied to explain the associations between campaign messages and intentions toengage in more MVPA. Results: A total of 1412 UK adults completed an online survey onMVPA and TPB. The sample was 70% female and 93% white with 23% reporting meeting PAguidelines. Participants received one of three messages: A walking message either with orwithout the 150 min/week threshold (WalkT; WalkNT); a physiological description of MVPAwith the 150 min/week threshold (PhysT). ANCOVA examined group differences in intention.Path analysis evaluated mediation by TPB variables. ANCOVA identified lower intentions toincrease MVPA in group PhysT relative to WalkT and WalkNT (P < 0.001). PBC mediatedthis relationship in WalkT (β = 0.014, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.004–0.028) whereasaffective attitudes mediated this relationship in WalkNT (β = 0.059, 95% CI = 0.006–0.113).Conclusions: Campaigns promoting MVPA guidelines need to choose their messages carefully.Messages which exemplified MVPA through walking were associated with higher intentions toincrease MVPA than messages using a physiological description. Further, PBC was enhancedwhen the 150 min/week threshold was promoted alongside the walking exemplar. Futureexemplars should be investigated to inform adults how to meet MVPA guidelines.
