Self-reported exercise behavior and interpretations of exercise in older adults

Prior exercise experiences may influence interpretations of exercise, ultimately affecting exercise behavior. This study examines differences in interpretations of exercise in older adults based on prior exercise behavior. Older adults who report more exercise behavior were hypothesized to score more positively on measures of interpretations of exercise than older adults reporting less exercise behavior. Two hundred fifteen older adults reported prior-year exercise behavior, and within a 2-week exercise training program reported their episode-specific and general interpretations of exercise. High exercisers reported higher perceptions of energy (p = .021), life enhancement (p = .023), and overall psychological outlook (p = .003) than low exercisers. Several gender differences were also noted. These results support earlier findings that older adults' beliefs and interpretations of exercise activity influence exercise behavior.