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Published on: March 7, 2019
Exercise Self-Efficacy as a Mediator between Goal-Setting and Physical Activity: Developing the Workplace as a
Yoshie Iwasaki1, Sumihisa Honda2, Shuji Kaneko3
1Department of Human Intelligence Systems, Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan; Department of Health Care, NEC Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Setting personal goals for physical activity (PA) boosts exercise self-efficacy (SE), which in turn increases PA levels in workers. Tailoring health programs to enhance confidence is key for promoting activity.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Health Promotion
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) is a critical health indicator.
- Workplaces are vital settings for promoting PA.
- Understanding factors influencing PA in employees is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of goal-setting and exercise self-efficacy (SE) on PA levels.
- To examine the mediating role of exercise SE in the relationship between goal-setting and PA.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey of 281 Japanese employees.
- Assessed PA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
- Measured exercise SE and personal goal-setting for PA.
Main Results:
- 45.2% of participants met recommended PA levels.
- 65.5% reported setting concrete personal goals for PA.
- Exercise SE mediated the relationship between personal goals and PA levels.
Conclusions:
- Exercise self-efficacy mediates the effect of goal-setting on physical activity.
- Workplace health promotion programs should focus on enhancing employee confidence in performing PA.
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