An ecological model of predictors of stages of change for physical activity in Greek older adults.

Cecilie Thogersen-Ntoumani

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

21 Citations (Scopus)
61 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This study examined the usefulness of an ecological model in predicting stages of change for physical activity in Greek older adults. Three hundred and eighteen Greek older adults (n=168 males; n=150 females) completed questionnaires measuring a range of personal, psycho-social and environmental characteristics. The ecological model consisted of personal (gender, age, body mass index and perceived health), psycho-social (barrier self-efficacy and number of friends exercising) and environmental (the presence of sidewalks, heavy traffic, hills, unattended dogs and frequently observing others' exercising) predictors. The model explained 51.10% of the variance; more than that explained by any of the individual classes of predictors in isolation. Number of friends exercising was a particularly salient predictor. The findings may enhance understanding of some of the reasons for the high prevalence of pre-contemplation in this population. The information may have implications for the design of effective exercise interventions.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)286-296
Number of pages11
JournalScandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
Volume19
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17 Feb 2008

Keywords

  • ecological
  • motivation
  • exercise
  • collectivist
  • stages of change
  • aging

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