Desire, Confidence Are Keys To Fitness

(WebMD)  People who have a desire to exercise and who are confident that they can are more likely to engage in physical fitness activities than those who lack motivation or have poor self-perception, a new Canadian study shows.

The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, shows that psychological factors are the most important barriers to an active lifestyle.

"Our findings highlight the need for health promotion programs to enhance people's confidence and motivation, as well as providing education on the health benefits of physical activity," says Sai Yi Pan, leader of a team of researchers from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The researchers gathered information in telephone interviews from 5,167 Canadians ages 15-79; the participants were asked about their physical activity, their intention to be physically active in the future, perceived health benefits of physical activity, barriers to physical activity, social support, and availability of programs or facilities to be physically active.

The participants were asked how confident they were that they could regularly do a total of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity three or four times a week, and a total of an hour of light exercise daily.

The researchers found that confidence and intention had the most effect on physical activity. They also found self-rated health, perceived health benefits and barriers, facility availability, education level, and family income were related to physical activity.

"Confidence in one's personal ability to carry out exercise plays a central role in the direction, intensity and persistence of health behavior change," the researchers write. People who have higher confidence "will perceive fewer barriers to [physical activity], or be less influenced by them, and will be more likely to enjoy" exercising.

"The effects of the perceived health benefits, education and family income were more salient to older people, whereas the influence of education was more important to women and the influence of perceived barriers was more salient to women and younger people," the researchers write.

"This study suggests that [physical activity] promotion strategies should be tailored to enhance people's confidence" that they are able and fit enough to engage in physical activity, the researchers conclude. If confidence can be enhanced, then people will be more motivated to be active.
By Bill Hendrick
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved

[brainteaser2]

To healthspeak: Your comment on resveratrol is full of inaccuracies all of the "miraculous effect" you describe above are theoretical none have been demonstrated in humans. In the lone test done on humans the dose was actually 3-5 grams (not 250 mg.) So as usual "if it sounds to good to be true it probably is" especially at the ridiculous price it is sold at. Seeing this is one of multiple posts I have read in a number of articles I think yours is a marketing attempt.

[healthspeak]

Resveratrol can help you to lead a long and healthy life so says many doctors and may be the single best thing you can take to improve your health. Resveratrol is the cutting edge of science backed supplementation. Red wine alone does not supply enough resveratrol to achieve the full range of benefits because one glass of red wine has only about
1mg of resveratrol and you need about 250mg/day. You need to take
high potency resveratrol supplements to achieve the results documented
in scientific studies.Resveratrol Supplements can also help you control
your weight naturally by increasing energy, reducing cravings, and limiting
your appetite.According to Wikipedia, Consumer Lab, an independent dietary
supplement and over the counter products evaluation organization,
published a report on 13 November 2007 on the popular resveratrol
supplements. The organization reported that there exists a wide range
in quality, dose, and price among the 13 resveratrol products
evaluated. The actual amount of resveratrol contained in the
different brands range from 2.2mg for Revatrol, which claimed to have
400mg of "Red Wine Grape Complex", to 500mg for Biotivia.com Transmax,
which is consistent with the amount claimed on the product''s label.
Prices per 100mg of resveratrol ranged from less than $.30 for
products made by Biotivia.com, jarrow, and country life, to a high of
$45.27 for the Revatrol brand.

[missingamerica]

lolll...only on the web would you go to peruse an article on improving one''s life, and find comments that suggest that the covered subject should be among those used as a criteria for proactive genetic selection.

Come to think of it, such comments - and what they suggest about the people who make them - are why the thought of a national DNA database so disturbs me; those who would presume to sieze the power of decision over who can and cannot reproduce seem always too near...

[Slrman-21001573651763300012869]

While this is all true, it is such common knowledge that it is no surprise that a governmental agency wasted money is a brilliant statement of the blindingly obvious.

Is it any wonder that so many people distrust and ridicule their government?

[displeased]

I agree. Intelligence drives a person''s quality of life. Intelligent people know the benefits of exercise and nutrition, will develop goals to sustain good health, and those goals will eventually become a lifestyle. They also make more logical decisions improving their chances of success.