Scheduled for Research Consortium Poster Session: Thematic Physical Education and Physical Activity Instruction and Motivation Posters, Wednesday, March 14, 2007, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area I


Influence of Exercise Identity on College Students' Physical Fitness

Jon P. Gray, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, Gregory J. Soukup, Texas State University- San Marcos, San Marcos, TX and Pat Sherald, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Physical inactivity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Physically active children and adolescents develop and maintain higher rates of physical fitness into adulthood and are more likely to be physically active adults (Telama, Yang, Laakso, & Viikari, 1997). Children in the United States are at an increased risk of obesity because of increasingly more sedentary lifestyles (Anderson, 1999, Brodney, Blair, & Lee, 2000). By the time many students reach college bad exercise and eating habits have become entrenched into their personal lifestyles. However, new positive behaviors can be learned and incorporated into daily routines to enhance individual fitness levels during college and beyond. Sociologists suggest that role identities serve to give meaning and importance to past behaviors as well as provide direction for future behaviors (Anderson, Cychosz, & Franke, 2001). The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of exercise identity on physical fitness indicators in undergraduate university students. One hundred eleven (77 females, and 34 males) undergraduate students enrolled in Health/Wellness courses participated in the study. The Exercise Identity Scale (Anderson & Cychosz, 1995) was used to measure an individual's perception of exercise as it contributes to role-identity, while FitCalc (Division of Dehn Enterprises, L.L.C., Dallas, TX.) was administered to determine an individuals' physical fitness profile. The physical fitness profile employed nine measuring instruments: (a) Resting Heart Rate, (b) Blood Pressure, (c) Height (d) Weight, (e) Body Fat, (f) Grip Strength, (g) Sit-ups, (h) Flexibility and (i) Aerobic capacity. A Regression Analysis was used to determine the influence of the independent variable (exercise identity) on the dependent variable (physical fitness). Statistically there was a significant relation between exercise identity and physical fitness (R2 = .069; F = 5.973; p < .05). Seven percent of the variance in the physical fitness levels of undergraduate students was accounted for by exercise identity. Fitness assessments like the FitCalc can be used by physical educators to assess levels of fitness in students, and the Exercise Identity Scale can be used to assess the likelihood that students would be motivated to exercise and maintain healthy levels of fitness in the future. Students with low fitness assessment and Exercise Identity Scale scores could be identified and personalized interventions could be developed to improve their individual levels of fitness and exercise motivation.


Keyword(s): adult physical activity/fitness, college level issues, exercise/fitness/physical activity

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