Exploring the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Leisure in the Lives of Young Australians

Background:Leisure-time physical activity is a term used by physical activity researchers to describe physical activity undertaken during nonwork time. In this study we explore how young people speak about physical activity in relation to leisure.Methods:Eight focus groups and one group interview were conducted with 50 participants aged 16−26 years. Participants included males and females, rural and urban dwellers, and a mixture of active/inactive young people. Focus group transcripts underwent an iterative thematic analysis.Results:Participants found it difficult to recognize leisure time activities in their day to day lives and only rarely mentioned their physical activity involvement when asked about leisure time activities. When discussing physical activity study participants commonly focused on high intensity physical activity such as sport and gym use. Three major themes relating to leisure and physical activity were identified: the meanings ascribed to physical activity, the experience of physical activity, and routines of participation.Conclusion:These findings suggest that the relationship between physical activity and leisure is complex and the term leisure with its associated concepts of satisfaction, relaxation and pleasure may not accurately reflect the way young people view their participation in physical activity.

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Actividad física y consumo de alcohol en adultos (Physical activity and alcohol consumption in adults)

Retos ◽

10.47197/retos.v0i16.34973 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 46-50

Author(s):

Francisco Ruiz-Juan ◽

Jorge Ruiz-Risueño Abad ◽

Ernesto De la Cruz Sánchez ◽

María Elena García Montes

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Young People ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Chi Square ◽

Usual Practice ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Patterns Of Behavior ◽

The Relationship

El presente estudio aborda la relación entre dos factores del estilo de vida que tienen una especial incidencia en la salud de los adultos, como son la práctica habitual de ejercicio físico y el consumo de alcohol. Se evaluaron en 3329 sujetos mayores de 15 años el consumo de alcohol y la cantidad habitual de actividad física. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo e inferencial, con una prueba de estadístico ÷2 (Chi-cuadrado de Pearson) para estimar las diferencias significativas existentes en los diferentes grupos. Los resultados muestran que los adultos estudiados tienen patrones de comportamiento similares al resto de la población española en lo que se refiere a la ingesta habitual de bebidas alcohólicas y práctica de actividad física cotidiana. Existen diferencias en el consumo habitual de alcohol en función de la cantidad actividad físico-deportiva realizada.Abstract: This study addresses the relationship between two lifestyle factors that have a particular impact on the health of young people, as are the usual practice of leisure-time physical activity and alcohol consumption. Were assessed in 3329 subjects older than 15 years the consumption of alcohol and the usual amount of physical activity. We used a Pearson Chi-square test to estimate the significant differences between groups. The results show that adults have studied patterns of behavior similar to the rest of the Spanish population in relation to the intake of alcohol and practice of physical activity daily. Differences in the consumption of alcohol depending on the quantity of leisure-time physical activity.

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“Don't crack under pressure!”—Do leisure time physical activity and self-esteem moderate the relationship between school-based stress and psychosomatic complaints?

Journal of Psychosomatic Research ◽

10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.06.012 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 65 (4) ◽

pp. 363-369 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Markus Gerber ◽

Uwe Pühse

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Psychosomatic Complaints ◽

School Based ◽

The Relationship

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Perceived autonomy support and motivation in young people: A comparative investigation of physical education and leisure-time in four countries

Europe’s Journal of Psychology ◽

10.5964/ejop.v15i3.1735 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 509-530 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Istvan Soos ◽

Ibolya Dizmatsek ◽

Jonathan Ling ◽

Adedokun Ojelabi ◽

Jaromir Simonek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Education ◽

Young People ◽

Autonomy Support ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Autonomous Motivation ◽

European Countries ◽

Perceived Autonomy Support ◽

Current Behaviour

Physical education focuses on the development of sports skills as well as fitness for health. In Central European countries there has been a shift in these focuses since the fall of Communism to follow internationally-recognised health-related physical activity recommendations, similar to Western European countries. In this study we investigated the extent to which motivation from school physical education transfers to leisure-time physical activity providing autonomy support by three social agents: school (physical education teachers), family and peers. Our study utilised the Aetological Approach (AA), Ecological Model (EM) and the Trans-Contextual Model (TCM) that consists of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to explore how autonomous motivation is transferred between contexts (physical education, leisure-time and current behaviour). Nine-hundred and seventy-four students aged 11–18 (55% girls) participated in our study from four countries: Hungary, United Kingdom, Romania and Slovakia. A prospective research design was employed, and questionnaires were administered at three time points. Using 7-point Likert scales, attitude, usefulness, and affectiveness were measured. Furthermore, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC) were tested within TPB. Autonomous and controlling motivation were measured within SDT by administering the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise questionnaires (BREQ and BREQ-2). Finally, past physical activity, intention and current physical activity behaviours were tested. Results indicated that perceived autonomy support from family and friends predicted autonomous motivation towards leisure-time physical activity in all four countries. However, teachers’ behaviour in some Eastern European countries did not predict this transfer. In general, in line with previous literature, boys reported more physical activity than girls. A strong influencing factor in the path model was that past behaviour predicted current behaviour, and according to that factor, boys reported being more active than girls.Boys also perceived more support from PE teachers than girls which was likely to have influenced their autonomous motivation in PE, which in turn transferred to leisure time. We discuss these results in the context of theories exploring the role of motivation and social environment on children’s choices related to physical activity. In conclusion, we suggest providing more autonomy support, especially by schools, for the enhancement of autonomous motivation of young people to promote their leisure time physical activity.

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Relationships between Leisure Time Physical Activity and Perceived Stress

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1996.82.1.315 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 82 (1) ◽

pp. 315-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 68

Author(s):

Steven G. Aldana ◽

Leanne D. Sutton ◽

Bert H. Jacobson ◽

Michael G. Quirk

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Type A Behavior ◽

Life Changes ◽

Working Adults ◽

Confounding Variables ◽

The Relationship

This study investigated the relationship between physical activity during leisure time and perceived stress among working adults ( N = 32,229). Data were gathered on physical activity, perceived stress, current health status, age, gender, life changes, ongoing problems, number of techniques used for stress reduction, and number of personality traits related to Type A behavior. To control for confounding variables Mantel-Haenszel summary risk estimates were used. Employees who expended more than 3.0 Kcal/kg−1 · day−1 in physical activity during leisure time were 0.78 and 0.62 times less likely to have moderate and high perceived stress, respectively. Working adults participating in moderate amounts of these activities have about half the rate of perceived stress as nonparticipants.

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Physical-work ability and chronic musculoskeletal complaints are related to leisure-time physical activity: Cross-sectional study among manual workers aged 50–70 years

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494819839533 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 375-382 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kristoffer L. Norheim ◽

Afshin Samani ◽

Jakob Hjort Bønløkke ◽

Øyvind Omland ◽

Pascal Madeleine

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Work Ability ◽

High Intensity ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Physical Work ◽

Musculoskeletal Complaints ◽

Low Intensity ◽

Intensity Physical Activity ◽

Physical Work Ability

Aims: To investigate the associations between both high- and low-intensity leisure-time physical activity on physical-work ability and chronic musculoskeletal complaints among manual workers aged 50–70 years. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1763 manual workers (mean age 57.1, SD ± 4.7 years) replied to questions about leisure-time physical activity, physical-work ability, chronic musculoskeletal complaints as well as health and lifestyle factors. Ordinal and binomial logistic regression models were constructed to assess the influence of the duration of both low- and high-intensity physical activity on physical-work ability and chronic musculoskeletal complaints, respectively. Models were adjusted for gender, age, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, physical-work demand, work experience, chronic disease and, regarding physical-work ability, also for chronic musculoskeletal complaints. Results: A statistically significant association between greater physical-work ability and high-intensity physical activity was found for workers engaged in 3–4 h/wk and ⩾ 5 h/wk (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.15–2.19 and OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.10–2.22, respectively). For both high- and low-intensity physical activity, a duration of 3–4 h/wk was associated with lower odds of reporting chronic musculoskeletal complaints in the knees (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.42–1.00 and OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38–0.99, respectively). Conclusions: Engaging in ⩾ 3 h/wk of high-intensity leisure-time physical activity was associated with greater physical-work ability among manual workers aged 50–70 years. Both high- and low-intensity physical activity related to lower odds of having chronic musculoskeletal complaints in the knees.

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Reasons and Barriers for University Students’ Leisure-Time Physical Activity: Moderating Effect of Health Education

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/0031512519869089 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 126 (6) ◽

pp. 1084-1100 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Saulius Sukys ◽

Vida J. Cesnaitiene ◽

Arunas Emeljanovas ◽

Brigita Mieziene ◽

Irena Valantine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health Education ◽

University Students ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Survey Method ◽

Physically Active ◽

Health Related ◽

Fitness And Health ◽

The Relationship

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health education and motives and barriers for university students’ engagement in leisure-time physical activity (PA). The research sample included 709 students (312 females and 397 males) in different years of study, ranging in age between 18-25 years. A questionnaire survey method revealed a significant positive relationship between fitness and health motives and students’ leisure-time PA. External barriers were negative predictors of students’ leisure-time PA, while more health education-related courses per week were positively associated with students’ leisure-time PA. Finally, we found that the number of health education-related courses per week moderated the relationship between fitness and health motives and students’ leisure-time PA. These findings suggest that university students’ fitness and health motives and external barriers to be physically active outweigh other motives and barriers in determining their leisure-time PA. In addition, health education in university studies can effectively increase students’ health-related motivation for PA.

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