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Does affective valence during and immediately following a 10-min walk predict concurrent and future physical
David M Williams1, Shira Dunsiger, Ernestine G Jennings
1Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Program in Public Health, Box G-S121-8, Providence, RI 02912, USA. DAVID_M_WILLIAMS@BROWN.EDU
Background:
Affect may be important for understanding physical activity behavior.
Purpose:
To examine whether affective valence (i.e., good/bad feelings) during and immediately following a brief walk predicts concurrent and future physical activity.
Methods:
At months 6 and 12 of a 12-month physical activity promotion trial, healthy low-active adults (N=146) reported affective valence during and immediately following a 10-min treadmill walk. Dependent variables were self-reported minutes/week of lifestyle physical activity at months 6 and 12.
Results:
Affect reported during the treadmill walk was cross-sectionally (month 6: β=28.6, p=0.008; month 12: β=26.6, p=0.021) and longitudinally (β=14.8, p=0.030) associated with minutes/week of physical activity. Affect reported during a 2-min cool down was cross-sectionally (month 6: β=21.1, p=0.034; month 12: β=30.3, p<0.001), but not longitudinally associated with minutes/week of physical activity. Affect reported during a postcool-down seated rest was not associated with physical activity.
Conclusions:
During-behavior affect is predictive of concurrent and future physical activity behavior.
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