Adolescents' attitudes toward sports, exercise, and fitness predict physical activity 5 and 10 years later.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether adolescent attitudes towards sports, exercise, and fitness predict moderate-to-vigorous physical activity 5 and 10 years later.


METHODS
A diverse group of 1902 adolescents participating in Project Eating and Activity in Teens, reported weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and attitudes toward sports, exercise, and fitness in Eating and Activity in Teens-I (1998-99), Eating and Activity in Teens-II (2003-04), and Eating and Activity in Teens-III (2008-09).


RESULTS
Mean moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was 6.4, 5.1, and 4.0 hours/week at baseline, 5-year, and 10-year follow-up, respectively. Attitudes toward sports, exercise, and fitness together predicted moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 5 and 10 years. Among the predictors of 5- and 10-year moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, attitude's effect size, though modest, was comparable to the effect sizes for sports participation and body mass index. Adolescents with more-favorable attitudes toward sports, exercise, and fitness engaged in approximately 30%-40% more weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at follow-up (2.1 hour/week at 5 years and 1.2 hour/week at 10 years) than those with less-favorable attitudes.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents' exercise-related attitudes predict subsequent moderate-to-vigorous physical activity independent of baseline behavior suggesting that youth moderate-to-vigorous physical activity promotion efforts may provide long-term benefits by helping youth develop favorable exercise attitudes.
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. djgraham@umn.edu
Dan J
DJ
Graham
John R
JR
Sirard
Dianne
D
Neumark-Sztainer
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States