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Choice of exercise: a predictor of behavioral risks?
1Department of Urban Studies and Community Health, Livingston Campus, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick.
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|September 1, 1992
Summary
Running, jogging, fast walking, and tennis participation are linked to healthier lifestyles and fewer risky behaviors. Exercise duration alone did not consistently predict these health behaviors in young adults.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Lifestyle behaviors significantly impact health outcomes.
- Understanding the relationship between specific physical activities and health-risk behaviors is crucial for public health interventions.
- Previous research suggests exercise is beneficial, but associations with specific risk behaviors require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between participation in different types of physical activities and various health-risk behaviors among young American adults.
- To determine if specific exercise modalities, such as running-jogging-fast walking (RJWs) and tennis, are linked to lower engagement in unhealthy behaviors compared to team sports.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from a large sample of 7,248 Americans aged 18-34.
- Statistical controls for demographic factors including gender, educational achievement, and exercise duration.
- Comparison of health-risk behaviors (obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, seat belt use) across different physical activity groups.
Main Results:
- Participants engaging in running-jogging-fast walking (RJWs) and tennis showed significantly lower odds of obesity, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and driving without seat belts.
- No consistent association was found between the total duration of exercise and the measured behavioral risks.
- These findings suggest that the *type* of physical activity may be more influential than duration in predicting certain health behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Engaging in activities like running, jogging, fast walking, and tennis may be indicative of, or contribute to, healthier overall lifestyles compared to participation in team sports.
- The observed behavioral differences warrant further investigation into the underlying mechanisms, potentially including exercise intensity or lifestyle integration.
- Public health strategies could consider promoting specific physical activities associated with reduced health risks in young adults.