This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1090198107308376v1 36/2/381    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Rhodes, R. E. Articles by Plotnikoff, R. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rhodes, R. E. Articles by Plotnikoff, R. C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Identifying Belief-Based Targets for the Promotion of Leisure-Time Walking

University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, rhodes{at}uvic.ca

Chris M. Blanchard, PhD

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Kerry S. Courneya, PhD

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Ronald C. Plotnikoff, PhD

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Walking is the most common type of physical activity (PA) and the likely target of efforts to increase PA. No studies, however, have identified the belief-level correlates for walking using the theory of planned behavior. This study elicits salient beliefs about walking and evaluates beliefs that may be most important for walking-promotion campaigns. A random sample of 55 Canadian adults participated in the elicitation study, and the validation study includes 358 participants who completed measures of demographics, beliefs from the elicitation study, and self-reported walking behavior. Belief—behavior relationships show that almost all behavioral expectancies are correlates of intention and behavior, but normative and control expectancies are more select correlates. But when belief—behavior relations are evaluated by participants meeting PA recommendations, only beliefs about feeling good, appearance, stress relief, and time are significant. Public health efforts to promote walking should focus on making time for regular walking and the affective advantages that walking can provide.

Key Words: theory of planned behavior • walking • promotion • leisure time

This version was published on April 1, 2009

Health Education & Behavior, Vol. 36, No. 2, 381-393 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1090198107308376


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?