Presenting Meaningful Lifestyle Physical Activity Images to People for a More Realistic, Doable, and Enjoyable Way to Meet Our Physical Activity Guidelines

Abstract

Most Americans and Canadians do not meet their respective country’s physical activity (PA) guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity and 2 or more strengthening activities per week. More recent studies have indicated a preference for lifestyle PA rather than traditional exercise, suggesting a need for a change of strategy in how we motivate, educate and connect people to their meaningful PA. The purpose of this study was to examine peoples’ beliefs, outlooks, and attitudes towards PA and exercise in Southern Ontario, Canada and South Carolina, United States with the overarching goal of adding a new paradigm to the already established standard of exercise. The study was conducted in two phases: first, a qualitative focus-group based phase in which feedback towards attitudes towards exercise and PA was used to generate a quantitative questionnaire which was used in phase two. Our results indicate that the majority of participants from Southern Ontario and South Carolina, ages 18-64, perceive a difference between lifestyle PA and exercise (Southern Ontario, 84% of males, 80% of females; South Carolina, 82% males, 74% females), and that engaging in lifestyle PA is a more natural, realistic and enjoyable part of their day than exercise (Southern Ontario, 83% of males, 78% of females; South Carolina, 81% males, 74% females). Additionally, participants indicated a preference towards lifestyle PA as opposed to within a gym environment. Overall, Southern Ontarians and South Carolinians were consistent in their message for a more unstructured, unregimented, natural way of being physically active throughout the day. Physical activity needs to be customized, tailored and meaningful for everyone.