The centre for Health Promotion Research, Halmstad University

Abstract

Many young women report a low level of exercise adherence, and age trends indicate that young women are at risk of becoming sedentary adults. Unfortunately an individual's perceived barriers can hinder exercise. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical understanding of what could influence physically non-active young women to exercise adherence. The data was collected using interviews and analysed by the constant comparative method. The result showed that several factors influence physically non-active young women to exercise adherence, and that these factors can be regarded as a number of interrelated dimensions. The influence was coming either from the exercise or from the environment connected to the exercise. The subjects wanted to feel enjoyment and to learn something during the exercise (recreation/learning influence). They also wanted to feel belongingness during the exercise (social influence), Both these influences are important for physically non-active young women, otherwise they will get bored and drop-out. Unfortunately, most exercise groups or sports are established on the pattern of male models or due to an aesthetic trend, which does not suit physically non-active young women. An influence promoting health or building skills (investment influence) could be a trigger to start exercising, but not to maintain exercise adherence. Influence coming from the environment (enabling influence) was both important and stimulating for physically non-active young women to exercise adherence. In fact, enabling influence was necessary for some of the subjects to enable them to exercise adherence on the whole, for example child-care and cheaper fee, which are especially important for a single parent. It is important to present these results to the communities, sports federations and other authorities who work with health promotion activities.

Keywords

Constant comparative method, Influence, Motivation, Exercise adherence, Non-physically, Young women

Contact

Fridlund, Bengt

Institution

The centre for Health Promotion Research, Halmstad University

Postaddress

Box 823

Postcode

SE-301 18 Halmstad

Country

Sweden

E-mail

Bengt.fridlund@ihv.hh.se

Phone

+ 46 35 16 74 11

Fax

+ 46 35 18 75 80