Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
The "maintainer's" perspective on maintaining regular physical activity: theory development using a constructivist
Livia Kellerhals1, Claudio R Nigg1
1Department of Health Science, Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Background:
The factors leading to physical activity maintenance are not well-understood. This study investigated such factors among individuals who adhere to the WHO physical activity guidelines for five years or longer, exploring perspectives, motives and facilitators of long-term physical activity maintenance.
Methods:
A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted to explore the phenomenon through the maintainers themselves (n = 10) via in-depth semi-structured interviews.
Results:
Coded segments (n = 1,127) were sorted into 21 themes and summarized into six broad categories: three main categories: 1) enjoyment; 2) adaptability; 3) well-being, the fundamental factor of 4) priority, as well as two supporting categories: 5) organization, and 6) community. The model presents the interconnectedness of these factors.
Conclusion:
This study aligns and expands the existing literature on physical activity maintenance, emphasizing the importance of prioritization as foundational for adaptability, enjoyment, and well-being. The findings suggest that a dynamic approach is crucial for physical activity maintenance.
Related Concept Videos
Principles of the Life-Span Developmental Approach: Part 2
Longitudinal Research
Principles of the Life-Span Developmental Approach: Part 1
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Social-Contextual Approach
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
