Fitness for Life: Changes in Motivation and Self-Efficacy

With the increase in the obesity rate among Americans, it is important to provide students with the skills and knowledge about physical activity and nutrition. Students at a Mid-Western University are required to enrolled and complete a two credit “Fitness for Life” course. The course was designed to provide students with the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. The course content includes instruction on physical activity for health and on nutrition. The course has a lecture and a lab component. A pre-post test was conducted during the spring 2009 semester to determine if the semester long course had had an effect on the motivation to exercise, nutrition and exercise self-efficacy, and BMI of the students enrolled. A questionnaire was administered at during the first week of classes and again during the last week of the semester. Gender, age, height and weight data were collected during the same periods. The questionnaire included 10 questions on motivation to exercise and 10 questions on exercise and nutrition self-efficacy. The survey was a required component of the course. However students had to consent to the inclusion of their data in the study. Names of students who consented to be included in the study were provided to the instructor after final grades were submitted. Four hundred and ninety four students agreed to participate in the study. The results will help the justification of the need for such course in the General Education course requirements.