title: Correlates of exercise adherence in an African American church community.
abstract: This study identified correlates of attendance to a community-based exercise program in an African American church congregation. After medical clearance, 48 participants completed measures of social support, health-related quality of life, depression, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise motivation and then participated in an exercise program for 6 months (attendance rate = 27%). Age, a sense of affiliation as a motivator to exercise, and weekly caloric expenditure derived from yard work were positively associated with program attendance, and full- or part-time employment was negatively associated with attendance. The authors concluded that exercise adherence is a complicated phenomenon that is influenced by a variety of environmental, personal, and social factors. Social factors, in particular, may be important in promoting adherence to an exercise program in African Americans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Maryland Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Izquierdo-Porrera
authors.forename: Claudia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reiner
authors.forename: Kevin R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Fontaine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D015142:Baltimore / Q000208:ethnology; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000208:ethnology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012067:Religion; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States