| The lack of physical activity in older women is a prevalent problem in the United States in that one third of the population reports having no leisure time physical activity. To encourage participation in physical activity, the Centers for Disease Control along with American College of Sports Medicine issued new physical activity recommendation encouraging individuals to accumulate 30 minutes of moderate activity daily. Biological, environmental, and cognitive factors influence exercise participation. Self-efficacy and social support are factors that have been studied in relation to physical activity.; The present study attempted to incorporate social support and self-efficacy frameworks in a 12-week physical activity program that examined the relationship between changes in physical activity, physical function, and psychosocial factors. Sixty-one women (M age = 59.3 years) were placed into either the physical activity intervention group or the exercise prescription control group. After the 3 month program, the intervention group, as compared to the control group, demonstrated greater increase in cardiovascular fitness (p < .05) and greater increase in lower leg strength (p < .001). In addition, members of the intervention group demonstrated greater growth in efficacy relating to barriers, walk-jog, and biking (p < .05) over the course of the intervention as compared to members of the control group. These results contribute to the literature that examine the effects of physical activity participation suggesting that interventions that include physical activity participation and address determinants of activity participation may have positive outcomes. |
