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Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
The long and winding road to physical activity maintenance
A Lauren Crain1, Brian C Martinson, Nancy E Sherwood
1HealthPartners Research Foundation, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1524, USA. Lauren.A.Crain@HealthPartners.com
American Journal of Health Behavior
|July 8, 2010
Summary
The Keep Active Minnesota (KAM) intervention improved physical activity (PA) maintenance by positively influencing self-efficacy and self-concept. These psychological factors, along with enjoyment, create multiple pathways for sustained PA engagement.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) maintenance is crucial for long-term health.
- The Keep Active Minnesota (KAM) intervention demonstrated efficacy in promoting PA.
- Understanding the mediators of PA maintenance is essential for optimizing interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the strength of multiple mediators of the KAM physical activity maintenance intervention.
- To elucidate the pathways through which KAM influences sustained moderate or vigorous PA (MVPA).
Main Methods:
- Structural equation modeling was used to estimate total, direct, and indirect effects.
- Randomized controlled trial data from KAM (n=523) and usual care (UC, n=526) participants were analyzed.
- Mediation analyses were conducted to assess the influence of psychological factors on PA maintenance over 2 years.
Main Results:
- Multiple mediators explained approximately half of the intervention's effect on MVPA.
- Self-efficacy was identified as an upstream mediator in two pathways.
- Self-concept emerged as the strongest predictor of MVPA, highlighting its importance in PA maintenance.
Conclusions:
- The KAM intervention positively impacted self-efficacy, which in turn influenced PA enjoyment and integration into self-concept, leading to PA maintenance.
- Long-term PA maintenance is likely driven by multiple, small, interconnected mediational pathways.
- Future research should explore recursive relationships among mediators and outcomes in PA maintenance models.
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