Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify physical activity motivators in middle school students. METHODS: Students (n = 219) self-reported demographics and physical activity motivators via questionnaire. Predetermined options for motivators were: friends, advertisements, music, family, look good, feel good, fun, and other. Weight status was determined by the age- and gender-specific BMI percentile CDC recommendations for children: underweight (< than 5th), healthy weight (5th - 85th), overweight (85th - 95th), obese (95th or greater). RESULTS: Male students (n=113) were 12.65 (± 1.63) years old, had a BMI of 21.23 (± 6.03). For males, 53.8% were categorized as healthy weight,18.7% as obese, 17.6% as overweight, and 9.9% as underweight. Grade distribution for males was 37.2% 6th graders, 39.8% 7th graders, and 23% 8th graders. The top activity motivators for males were to look good (24.5%), friends (22.7%), and music (20.0%). Additionally, underweight and overweight male students were motivated by feeling good (22.2%; 57.%, respectively) and overweight males by advertisements (14.3%). Evaluating motivators by grade for males showed 8th graders were motivated by music (33.3%), 7th graders by looking good (26.7%), and 6th graders by friends (29.3%). Females (n=106) were 12.57 (± 1.05) years old, had a BMI of 21.43 (± 6.47). For females, 60.3% were categorized as healthy weight, 17.8% as obese, 12.3% as overweight, and 9.6% as underweight. Grade distribution for females was 44.8% 6th graders, 28.6% 7th graders, and 26.7% 8th graders. The top activity motivators for females were friends (25.0%), looking good (24.0%), and music (23.1%). Additionally, overweight students were motivated by feeling good (50.0%) and obese females were motivated by family (15.4%). Evaluating motivators by grade for females showed the top motivators for 8th graders to be looking good (36.4%) and feeling good (27.3%); while the top motivators for 7th and 6th graders were friends (32.1%, 27.7%) and looking good (21.4%, 25.5%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of middle school students, motivators for activity were influenced by gender, grade and BMI. Recognizing and addressing population-specific motivators may enhance activity program outcome success.
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