Study On Physical Exercise Behavior And Its Influencing Factors Among The Different Age Groups Of Adults In A District Of Gansu Province

Objective To understand the characteristics of physical exercise behaviors among adult residents in a district of Gansu Province,and to analyze the distribution characteristics of physical exercise behaviors between their social demographic characteristics of different age groups.Further,based on the structural equation model,the potential influencing factors,and mechanism of physical exercise behavior of people in different age groups were explored from the aspects of social demographic characteristics,community environmental support,interpersonal support,health management,common chronic diseases,etc.to provide scientific basis for promotion of physical exercise in people.Methods The data for this study came from the evaluation survey on the chronic disease comprehensive prevention and control of a demonstration region in Gansu Province.After reviewing the literature,we developed our own anonymous questionnaire and used the multi-stage stratified random sampling methodology and conducted face-to-face interviews with adult residents in the district to collect basic demographic data,indicators of physical exercise behavior,information about local sports environments,support from social networks,participation in cooperation with grassroots health management,and prevalence of common chronic diseases.The distribution of demographic characteristics of physical exercise mode,physical exercise frequency and physical exercise intensity among different age groups were described.Multiple correspondence analysis was carried out on the main social demographic characteristics,the number of physical exercise and the intensity of physical exercise to explore the multi-factor correlation between different physical exercise behaviors and social demographic characteristics.Exploratory factor analysis and structural equation model were used to explore the influence path and mechanism of different potential dimension factors on physical exercise behavior.The level of hypothesis testing is 0.05.Results（1）7952 eligible subjects were included in this study.There were 2610（32.82%）youth aged 18 to 34,4279（53.81%）middle adults aged 35 to 59,and 1063（13.37%）elderly aged 60 to 74.The top three types of physical exercise among them were walking 5566（69.99%）,running 1848（23.24%）,and square dancing 647（8.14%）.4840 people（61.87%）exercised once a week or more.,and 1956 people（24.60%）exercised 3 times or more a week.A Relatively High Number of subjects had low-intensity exercise,3254（40.92%）.（2）Running and doing exercises accounted for 29.77%and 8.20%respectively among people aged 18 to 34,both higher than the remaining two age groups;square dancing accounted for 9.39%among people aged 35 to 59,higher than the remaining two age groups;Walking accounted for the highest proportion of people aged 60 to 74,reaching 76.39%.In terms of gender distribution,in the group aged 18 to 34 and the group aged 35 to 59,the proportion of square dancing and exercise in female was higher than that in male;the proportion of running（20.36%）and cycling（3.42%）in male was higher than that in female in the group aged 60 to 74.From the distribution of household registration,among the group aged 18 to 34,the proportion of square dancing in urban residents（2.29%）was lower than that in rural residents（7.66%）;Among the group aged35 to 59 and 60 to 74,the proportion of walking and running in urban residents was much higher than that of in rural residents.Among the group aged 60 to 74,the proportion of choosing Tai Chi in rural residents（0.70%）was lower than that in urban residents（3.40%）.The above results were statistically significant（P<0.05）.（3）Among the groups of 18 to 34,35 to 59 and 60 to 74,the proportion of physical exercise once a week or more was 62.84%,59.87%and 60.02%,respectively;and the proportion of frequent participation in physical exercise（three times a week or more）was 21.42%,25.17%and 30.10%,respectively.The three age groups showed that with the increase of education level and the increase of per capita monthly expenditure,the number of residents’physical exercise increased（P<0.05）,and the residents living in cities and with occupation of administrative/public institutions/medical/industrial and commercial industries had a higher frequency of physical exercise and were more inclined to participate in physical exercise regularly;while the group aged 60 to 74 had less frequency of physical exercise with the increase of age(χ_trend²)=5.745,P<0.05).the group aged 60 to 74 had most of the proportion of low-intensity physical exercise（54.09%）,and the physical exercise intensity became lower with the increase of age(χ_trend²)=22.524,P<0.05);All age groups showed that with the higher education level and the increase of per capita monthly expenditure,the intensity of residents’physical exercise was high（P<0.05）.（4）The results of multiple correspondence analysis showed that:among the people aged 18 to 34 who often participated in physical exercise,the choice of moderate intensity,medium intensity or above physical exercise behavior may be associated with the group aged 60 to 74,unmarried,other occupation;Among the group aged 35 to 59years old,the choice of moderate intensity,medium intensity and above physical exercise and 2,3 or more times a week may be related to urban household registration and the per capita monthly expenditure of 2001～3000 yuan;frequent participation in physical exercise is related to urban household registration,per capita monthly expenditure of 1001～3000 yuan,junior high school education and unemployment for the group aged 60 to 74.Low to medium intensity,medium intensity,medium to high intensity and above physical exercise may be associated with urban residence,junior high school/senior high school/technical secondary school education,being engaged in other occupation,and per capita monthly expenditure of 2001～3000 yuan.（5）In young adults aged 18 to 34,The results of structural equation model showed that the total effects of the potential variables of socioeconomic status,interpersonal support,basic health indicator monitoring,community health support environment and marital status on physical exercise behavior were 0.320,0.271,0.246,0.194 and-0.174in youth aged 18 to 34,respectively.The direct effects were 0.196,0.271,0.0246,0.194and-0.174,respectively.The total indirect effect of socioeconomic status on physical exercise behavior of the young through community health support environment,interpersonal support and basic health monitoring was 0.124,and the indirect effect of interpersonal support was the highest,accounting for 46.77%.All the effects above were statistically significant（P<0.05）.In middle adults aged 35 to 59,the total effects of the potential variables of socioeconomic status,community health support environment,interpersonal support,monitoring of basic health indicators and disease status on physical exercise behavior were 0.427,0.301,0.298,0.283 and 0.052,respectively.The direct effects were 0.248,0.301,0.298,0.283 and 0.000,respectively.Interpersonal support,community health support environment and basic health indicator monitoring were the mediating variables in the influence of socioeconomic status on physical exercise behavior,and the indirect effects were 0.079,0.034 and 0.067,respectively.The total indirect effect was 0.179.Being with common chronic diseases had an indirect effect on physical exercise through basic health index monitoring,with an effect value of 0.052.All the effects above were statistically significant（P<0.05）.In the elderly aged 60 to 74,the total effects of socioeconomic status,community health supporting environment,interpersonal support and basic health indicators monitoring on physical exercise behavior were 0.527,0.383,0.201 and 0.115,respectively.The direct effects were 0.379,0.383,0.201 and 0.115,respectively.The total effect of socioeconomic status on physical exercise through community health support environment,interpersonal support and basic health monitoring was the strongest（0.537）,which was much higher than that of other age groups.Meanwhile,the indirect effect of community health support environment accounted for the highest proportion（40.54%）.All the effects above were statistically significant（P<0.05）.Conclusion（1）The main way of exercising for adults in this area was relatively simple,and the rate of regular physical exercise was low.Exercise intensity of people aged 18 to 34 was relatively high,but the persistence was not strong.People aged 35 to59 had less physical exercise and lower intensity.People aged 60 to 74 mainly took walks and took part in physical exercise persistently,but with low intensity.（2）Among people aged 18 to 34,interpersonal support had the strongest direct and positive impact on physical exercise behavior.Among people aged 35 to 59,community health support environment had the strongest direct positive effect on physical exercise behavior.For people aged 60 to 74,social and economic status had the strongest overall effect on physical exercise through community health support,interpersonal support,and basic health monitoring.Therefore,we should focus on peer education,research family-based health management,and provide physical exercise guidance to young people;we can improve the community’s environment to enhance physical exercise among the middle-aged population;regarding advocating and supporting active aging in entire society,Financial Lives security for elderly should be strengthened,socializing for the purpose of engaging in physical exercise should be encouraged and the support system of sports social networks should be restored,the integration of health monitoring and physical exercise should be enhanced in the development of groups community.