Evaluation of Health Canada's physical activity guides to healthy active living as motivational instruments

• Main Author: Kliman, Aviva Morrisa
• Other Authors: Rhodes, Ryan E.
• Language: English; en
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: physical fitness; exercise; Victoria; British Columbia; Canada; UVic Subject Index::Humanities and Social Sciences::Education::Physical education and training
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1776

Health Canada has published national physical activity guidelines, which are included in their 27-page Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living. To date, the use of these guides as motivational instruments for physical activity promotion has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not reading the guide 1) increased motivational antecedents to engage in regular physical activity, and 2) increased regular physical activity intention and behaviour over a one month period. Participants included 130 randomly sampled Canadian adults (18 years or older) from Victoria. British Columbia, who were randomly mailed packages consisting of either 1) a questionnaire and a copy of Health Canada's guide, or 2) just a questionnaire. Questionnaire items pertained to participants' socio-demographics, physical activity behaviours (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire), and physical activity motivation (Theory of Planned Behaviour). One month following the completion and return of the first questionnaire, participants were sent a one-month follow-up questionnaire pertaining to their physical activity behaviours throughout the previous month. A manipulation check of randomization between conditions suggested no differences in demographics, prior physical activity, or knowledge of the guide (p > .10). Results revealed significant interactions between the guide condition and physical activity status on instrumental behavioural beliefs (F 2.1 L2 = 6.65, p < .01, n2 = 0.05), and subjective norm (F 2,115 = 5.72 p < .05, 92 = 0.05), but no other factors were significantly different (p > .10). It was concluded that among physically inactive people, receiving Health Canada's guide may increase some informational/motivational constructs, but key motivational antecedents (affective attitude, perceived behavioural control) and outcomes (intention, behaviour) seem unaffected.