Abstract
Level of physical activity as a key determinant of healthy lifestyle less than is required in individuals particularly women. Applying theories of behavioral change about complex behaviors such as physical activity leads to identify effective factors and their relations. The aim of this study was to determine predictors of physical activity behavior based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in military staff’s wives in Tehran. This cross-sectional study was performed in 180 military personnel’s spouses residing in organizational houses, in Tehran, Iran in 2014. The participants were randomly selected with multi-stage cluster sampling. The validity and reliability of the theory based scale evaluated before conducting the path analysis. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS16 and LISREL8.8. The results indicated the model explained 77% and 17% of intention and behavior variance. Subjective norms (Beta=0.83) and intention (Beta=0.37) were the strongest predictors of intention and behavior, respectively. The instrumental and affective attitude had no significant path to intention and behavior. The direct relation of perceived behavioral control to behavior was non-significant. This research demonstrated relative importance and relationships of Theory of Planned Behavior constructs in physical activity behavior of military personnel’s spouses in Tehran. It is essential to consider these determinants in designing of educational interventions for promoting and maintaining physical activity behavior in this target group.
Highlights
Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a widening variety of other chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cancer, obesity, hypertension, bone and joint diseases and depression (Warburton, Nicol, & Bredin, 2006)
The aim of this study was to determine predictors of physical activity behavior based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in military staff's wives in Tehran
It is essential to consider these determinants in designing of educational interventions for promoting and maintaining physical activity behavior in this target group
Summary
Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a widening variety of other chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cancer, obesity, hypertension, bone and joint diseases and depression (Warburton, Nicol, & Bredin, 2006). Inactivity rises with age, is higher in women than men (Hallal et al, 2012). The Eastern Mediterranean Region has one of the highest rates of physically inactive people in the world. One in three men and one in two women do not follow the minimum recommended levels of physical activity (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). Almost 50% of women and 36% of men are insufficiently active in this region (WHO, 2008). In Iran, 47% of women and 27.1% of men are insufficiently active (based on agestandardized estimate) (WHO, 2014). Health indicators show that only 31.3% of women and 43.4% of men are physically active at least 10 minutes in leisure time in Tehran (khosravi et al, 2009). Research priorities of a military medical sciences university point to low level of activity in military staff's wives in Tehran
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