Active for a day: predictors of relapse among previously active mass event participants.
BACKGROUND
To promote maintenance of sufficient physical activity (PA), better understanding of factors associated with behavioral relapse is needed.


OBJECTIVE
To identify PA relapsers and predictors of this state in a large community sample of women who participated in 2 mass 10-km events in Ireland.


METHODS
Relapsers to 'low active' were identified at 3-month follow-up, and factors associated with relapse investigated.


RESULTS
11% of the sample decreased their participation by at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity PA per week and regressed to 'insufficiently active.' Adjusted analysis indicated relapse was associated with walking the event (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.05-1.85) and not achieving tertiary education (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.18-1.88). Normal-range BMI, training continuously, urban residence, and increases in self efficacy and positive perceptions of the physical environment were related to lower incidence of relapse.


CONCLUSIONS
Education, living in an urban area, BMI, walking the event, training, and self efficacy are all associated with relapse and while mass events are a useful motivator for PA, strategies are required following events to maintain participation levels and generate a lasting public health impact.
Dept of Health, Sport, and Exercise Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
Aoife
A
Lane
Niamh
N
Murphy
Adrian
A
Bauman
Tien
T
Chey
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D040241:Social Marketing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult