title: Influence of age, sex, and race on college students' exercise motivation of physical activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined differences in exercise motivation between age, sex, and race for college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students from 156 sections of physical activity classes at a midsize university were recruited (n = 2,199; 1,081 men, 1,118 women) in 2005-2006 and volunteered to complete the Exercise Motivation Inventory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were found in 3 of 14 exercise motivational subscales by age (affiliation, health pressures, and ill health avoidance) (p < .05). Males were motivated by intrinsic factors (strength, competition, and challenge) (p < .05) and females by extrinsic factors (ie, weight management and appearance) (p < .05); only 2 subscales proved not to be significant by sex. Race differences provided 8 significant differences by exercise motivations (p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences for exercise motivations in college-aged population by demographics were documented. Understanding these differences is important for college health professionals for programming strategies and promoting physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egli
authors.forename: Helen W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Bland
authors.forename: Bridget F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Melton
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Czech
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult