Examination Of The Association Between Values And Physical Activity In A Behavioral Program

Abstract

Theory-based approaches imply that values may be a construct that influences motivation and adherence to health behavior change. PURPOSE: This study examined the associations between individual values and change in physical activity in adults enrolled in a 6-month behavioral weight loss intervention. METHODS: Baseline data for 67 participants (age = 44.2±9.0 years; body mass index = 32.6±3.9 kg/m2) and 58 participants at 6 months (age = 43.9±9.2 years; body mass index = 32.6±4.0 kg/m2) were analyzed. The 6-month behavioral weight loss intervention included prescribed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of 150 to 250min/wk. Only participants prescribed physical activity within the intervention were included in the statistical analysis. Assessments at baseline and 6 months included: 1) self-reported leisure-time physical activity, 2) personal values, 3) perception of engaging in physical activity would have on their values. RESULTS: At both baseline and 6 months, the three most frequently identified values were marriage/couples/intimate relationships (75.9%), family (60.3%), and parenting (56.9%). Spearman correlation coefficients were not statistically significant between change in leisure-time physical activity and perception of the impact engaging in a physical activity will have on their values at baseline (range of r’s: -0.029 to 0.154, p’s range: 0.364 to 0.927) and 6 months (range of r’s: -0.018 to 0.098, p’s range: 0.564 to 0.916). DISCUSSION: Self-reported values did not change following participation in a behavioral weight loss intervention. Perceptions of how engagement in physical activity would alter values were also not associated with change in leisure-time physical activity. These results suggest that linking physical activity to values would not impact the magnitude of improvement in leisure-time physical activity within the context of a comprehensive behavioral weight loss intervention. However, this warrants additional investigation to determine if interventions specifically linking values to physical activity would elicit similar effects.