title: Physical activity attitudes, beliefs, and practices among adults 50 and older: baseline community assessment.
abstract: This study aligned with the National Blueprint, a coalition of national organizations to identify the principal barriers to physical activity participation in older adults and to outline strategies for increasing physical activity levels. A community coalition took the initiative to conduct a baseline assessment of health attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors among community adults in order to understand the immediate needs of the adult community. Adults 50 and older (N = 309) completed surveys of health and physical activity (PA) behaviors. Individuals reported below average physical activity levels. Motives and barriers to PA differed by gender and race/ethnicity. Age and health perceptions significantly predicted PA levels. Findings support previous research with this age group, thus discussion of the utility of multi-level approaches (e.g., social ecological model) to health betterment in communities is forwarded. Providing multi-level resources (personal, social, environmental, policy) can increase opportunities for adoption and maintenance of health behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Ball State University, Indiana.
authors.forename: Kimberly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.affiliation: Purdue University, Indiana.
authors.forename: Roseann M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lyle
authors.affiliation: Purdue University, Indiana.
authors.forename: Gerald C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Hyner
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004777:Environment; D005006:Ethnicity; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010465:Perception; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors