A Longitudinal Study Examining Physical Activity Habit Formation

Habits are important factors that help guide the performance of health behaviours, yet little is known about how habits form following a major context change. To observe the habit trajectory of physical activity engagement and assess the relationship between habit trajectory and theoretical determinants of habit formation, a longitudinal design was used to track physical activity habit trajectory over 12 weeks during COVID-19 lockdowns. Participants (N = 41) selected a cue related to physical activity, to assist in increasing their engagement. At baseline, and every two days, participants reported their behaviour, habit, and cue exposure. Trait self-control, history of physical activity behaviour, and demographic information were also collected at baseline. Physical activity habit strength significantly increased from baseline to the final assessment 12 weeks later; however substantial variability was observed in growth over time and neither the linear nor the logarithmic growth model provided a good fit at the overall level. Nonetheless, higher levels of self-control were significantly related to faster habit strength formation. Individual differences in habit formation require further investigation to better understand why some individuals form habits while others do not.