Effects Of Television Viewing On Enjoyment Of Exercise In College Students

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine if television viewing increases enjoyment of exercise in college students. METHODS: Forty-three students (mean±SD; age=19±2 y, body mass index=23.7±3.2 kg/m2) completed two 30-minute exercise sessions on a cycle ergometer, in randomized order. During one session, participants viewed the British Broadcasting Corporation’s TV program Life (TV), while in the other they did not (No-TV). Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and felt arousal (FAS) were measured at 10, 20 and 30 minutes of exercise. The physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) was used to measure enjoyment following each session. Enjoyment of exercise was analyzed with a paired samples t-test (for PACES). Correlations were used to determine relationship of baseline trait measurements of exercise motivation, preference of exercise intensity, and stress with enjoyment of exercise between conditions. Baseline measures significantly correlated with enjoyment of exercise were divided into high and low groups using a median split, then repeated measures ANOVAs (group x condition) were used to determine if interactions existed. Repeated measures ANOVAs (condition x time) were also performed on HR, RPE and FAS. RESULTS: Exercise enjoyment during the TV condition was significantly higher than during No-TV (p = 0.016). Motivation was positively correlated with NO-TV (p=0.027). Specifically, the subcategories of amotivation, identified, and intrinsic motivation were significantly correlated with NO-TV (p<0.05). No significant interactions between motivation subcategories and exercise conditions existed. HR was significantly lower during TV (p=0.019), but there were no significant differences in RPE (p=0.127) or FAS (p=0.215) between sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Television viewing increased enjoyment of exercise, and enjoyment was not influenced by exercise motivation, preference of exercise intensity, or stress.