Abstract
A total of 852 adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age were evaluated (M = 14.86, SD = 1.67), randomly selected among a population of secondary school and Baccalaureate students. We applied an “ad hoc” questionnaire on sociodemographic data and the Self-Report of Reasons for the Practice of Physical Exercise (AMPEF) and Self-Report of Barriers to the Practice of Physical Exercise (ABPEF) questionnaires. The results obtained show a prevalence of competition, social recognition, and challenge as motivational factors, and fatigue or laziness as barriers to physical exercise among adolescents. With respect to gender, boys show a greater presence of motivations towards doing physical exercise, while girls show more barriers. In conclusion, the motivational factors and barriers interact and support each other for a better predisposition towards physical exercise.
Highlights
The practice of physical exercise has become an issue of increasing social importance in recent decades because, among other reasons, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles have contributed to the growing prevalence of pathologies such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and stroke, which have become the scourge of modern societies [1]
Since we are concerned about this, the objective of this study was to determine adolescents’ attitudes regarding the practice of physical exercise and the relationship between difficulties and motivations to achieve physical exercise habits
The main objective of this study was to discover the motivations or barriers that lead to greater practice or abandonment of physical exercise among adolescents, which would help to consolidate physical exercise habits that last into adulthood [32]
Summary
The practice of physical exercise has become an issue of increasing social importance in recent decades because, among other reasons, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles have contributed to the growing prevalence of pathologies such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and stroke, which have become the scourge of modern societies [1]. The rate of these diseases continues to rise, which has led to increased morbidity and mortality and the urgent need to implement effective physical activity programmes to reduce sedentary behaviour among the population [2]. Data on childhood obesity and the abandonment of sports has increased progressively and has become a matter of alarming social concern [6,7]
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