DETERMINANTS OF STAGE OF ADOPTION FOR RECREATIONAL AND TRANSPORTATION PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN ADULTS

Abstract

The primary objective of this cross-sectional community study was to identify determinants of recreational and transportation-related physical activity (PA). During September 1998, a 53-item PA survey was mailed to 1002 adults, aged 18 years and older, who resided in Arlington, Massachusetts. The survey included two 5-item stages of change instruments for recreational and transportation-related PA, as well as demographic, individual, interpersonal and environmental-level measures potentially associated with these PA behaviors. Responses to each stages of change instrument were collapsed into three behavioral categories and generalized logit regression was used to develop two multivariate predictive models. Data were analyzed on 413 out of 419 survey respondents (48% response rate) who averaged 51 ± 17 years of age, were predominantly female (60%), white (94%), married (65%) and had a college degree or higher (62%). Almost 64% of respondents were in action or maintenance for recreational PA, but less than 30% were in these stages for transportation PA. The difference in distributions for the two stages of change instruments was statistically significant (p < 0.0001), indicating a high degree of stage specificity for the two types of PA. In the predictive model for recreational PA, higher educational level, selfefficacy for PA, and social support for PA from family and friends were associated with a higher stage of change (p ≤ 0.07). Alternatively, two self-reported environmental variables that involved rating one's neighborhood as mixed-use/commercial versus residential, and generally rating local neighborhood features more positively (e.g., presence of sidewalks) were associated with a more advanced stage of change for transportation PA (p < 0.01). Our results suggest that recreational and transportation-related PA are distinct behaviors with different determinants. Although further research is needed, the stages of change model appears to provide a useful framework for studying determinants of transportation-related PA and may facilitate the design of intervention strategies that are more consistent with different target audiences' readiness to adopt these behaviors.