Short report: moderations in exercise motivation - gender and age moderates the relations of motivation quality and exercise behavior

The Impact of Exercise Cognition on Exercise Behaviors: The Mediating Role of the Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise for Adolescents

In recent years, the exercise behavior of Chinese adolescents has been on the decline, which is extremely detrimental to their physical and mental health development. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms by which exercise cognition influences Chinese adolescents' exercise behavior. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between exercise cognition and exercise behavior among Chinese adolescents and the mediating role of satisfying basic psychological needs for exercise. The study consisted of 996 adolescents (44.6% males, 55.4% females) between the ages of 12 and 15 (M = 13.34, SD = 1.059). Participants' exercise behaviors and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for exercise data were collected via surveys. Structure equation modeling (SEM) was performed to examine the direct and indirect effects. The results were as follows: (1) adolescents' perceptions of exercise were significantly associated with exercise behavior and (2) the mediation model suggests that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for exercise is an important mechanism by which exercise cognition influences the occurrence of exercise behavior. Therefore, it is crucial to help adolescents form good exercise cognition. Schools, families, and society should take responsibility for adolescents' formation of good exercise cognition and satisfy adolescents' basic psychological needs for exercise so as to enhance adolescents' exercise behaviors and thereby develop good exercise habits.

The Influence of Incentive-Based Mobile Fitness Apps on Users' Continuance Intention With Gender Moderation Effects: Quantitative and Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

A survey conducted by McKinsey & Company reported that, as of May 2022, as many as 26% of Indonesians had recently started to engage actively in physical activity, 32% undertook regular physical activity, and 9% exercised intensely. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has spurred the rapid development of mobile fitness apps (MFAs) used to track people's sports activities. However, public interest in using these apps for any length of time is still relatively low.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of incentives (eg, self-monitoring, social support, platform rewards, and external influence) on the use of MFAs and the moderating effect of gender on users' continuance usage intention.

METHODS

The study used a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through a web-based questionnaire and qualitative data from interviews with 30 respondents. The quantitative data, collected from 379 valid responses, were processed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. The qualitative data were processed using thematic analysis. The MFAs included in this research were those used as sports or physical activity trackers, such as Apple Fitness, Strava, Nike Run Club, and Fita.

RESULTS

The results of the data analysis show that 3 groups of incentives, namely, self-monitoring, platform rewards, and external influence (with the exception of social support), affect the perceived usefulness of these apps. Gender was also shown to moderate user behavior in relation to physical activity. The study showed that women were more likely to be motivated to exercise by social and external factors, while men paid greater attention to the tracking features of the app and to challenges and rewards.

CONCLUSIONS

This research contributes to the field of health promotion by providing guidance for MFA developers.

Intrinsic Capacity and Active and Healthy Aging Domains Supported by Personalized Digital Coaching: Survey Study Among Geriatricians in Europe and Japan on eHealth Opportunities for Older Adults

BACKGROUND

The worldwide aging trend requires conceptually new prevention, care, and innovative living solutions to support human-based care using smart technology, and this concerns the whole world. Enabling access to active and healthy aging through personalized digital coaching services like physical activity coaching, cognitive training, emotional well-being, and social connection for older adults in real life could offer valuable advantages to both individuals and societies. A starting point might be the analysis of the perspectives of different professionals (eg, geriatricians) on such technologies. The perspectives of experts in the sector may allow the individualization of areas of improvement of clinical interventions, supporting the positive perspective pointed out by the intrinsic capacity framework.

OBJECTIVE

The overall aim of this study was to explore the cross-national perspectives and experiences of different professionals in the field of intrinsic capacity, and how it can be supported by eHealth interventions. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore geriatric care providers' perspectives about technology-based interventions to support intrinsic capacity.

METHODS

A survey involving 20 geriatricians or clinical experts in the fields of intrinsic capacity and active and healthy aging was conducted in Italy, France, Germany, and Japan between August and September 2021.

RESULTS

The qualitative findings pointed out relevant domains for eHealth interventions and provided examples for successful practices that support subjective well-being under the intrinsic capacity framework (the benefits offered by personalized interventions, especially by promoting health literacy but avoiding intrusiveness). Moreover, eHealth interventions could be used as a bridge that facilitates and enables social engagement; an instrument that facilitates communication between doctors and patients; and a tool to enrich the monitoring actions of medical staff.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an unexplored and significant role for such geriatric perspectives to help the development process and evaluate the evidence-based results on the effectiveness of technologies for older people. This is possible only when clinicians collaborate with data scientists, engineers, and developers in order to match the complex daily needs of older adults.

The influence of body dissatisfaction on cardiovascular and strength-based physical activity by gender: a self-determination theory approach

Physical activity-or lack thereof-is one behaviour that may help explain why individuals who are dissatisfied with their bodies experience poor health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of behavioural regulations (i.e., autonomous and controlled) in the relation between body dissatisfaction and physical activity and to determine whether this mediated relationship was moderated by gender. Additionally, this relation was examined for both cardiovascular and strength-based physical activity.

DESIGN

A two-week daily-diary study was conducted.

MEASURES

The Body Shape Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire - 3, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were used to test the main hypotheses.

RESULTS

For men and women, body dissatisfaction was related to less frequent cardiovascular and strength-based activity due to lower levels of intrinsic regulation. In women, the relation between body dissatisfaction and activity (cardiovascular and strength-based) was partially mediated by controlled regulations (i.e., external and introjected). That is, women who were dissatisfied exercised more because they were more likely to feel that they had to appease others or themselves.

CONCLUSION

The present study provides direction for targeting physical activity behaviours in college students who are dissatisfied with their bodies.