Lack of Physical Activity and Benefits of Exercise

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

The beneficial effects of exercise have been extensively researched and reported over the last several decades. Several different modes of physical activity have proven to provide the researched health benefits. Disease prevention, weight management, joint health, psychological health, and cardiovascular health are broad examples of benefits that can be attained through regular exercise (Center for Disease Control and Prevention

[CDC], 2005b). Health professionals have developed and implemented numerous health education programs in schools, work places, and neighborhood communities to increase awareness of the need to be physically active as well as promote participation in physical activity programs. Despite these efforts, the nation and world is still becoming increasingly inactive. More than 50% of U.S. adults do not get enough physical activity.

Furthermore, physically activity in leisure time has declined from 1994 to 2004 by 21.4% in men and 25.9% in women (CDC, 2005a). An even more disturbing statistic is that one third of young people ages 14-18 do not participate in regular physical activity (CDC,

2005b).

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2005b), the prevalence of overweight and obese individuals in the United States has dramatically increased over the last 20 years as a result of our unhealthy and increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Obesity causes or complicates a plethora of health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and joint complications. Sedentary behavior and inactivity have become one of the leading causes of death, disability, and preventable diseases in the world. Overweight/ obesity commonly results from being sedentary and are among the top ten leading causes of death in the America that can be prevented through regular exercise (World Health

Organization [WHO], 2005).

Despite the wealth of knowledge about exercise provided by doctors, health educators, and fitness advocates to the public, people continue to find a reason not to participate in regular physical activity. As Americans, we lead busy lifestyles in which we try to accomplish an incredible amount of tasks throughout the course of a single day.

We demand things to happen quickly so that we can move onto the next item on our “to do” list. This fast paced lifestyle leads many people to say, “I don’t have time to workout, it takes too long”. The lack of exercise is not only attributed to lack of time.

Another popular excuse for not exercising is the cost of a gym membership or the proper equipment for a particular activity. People who fail to incorporate exercise in their daily lives feel as though they have better things to do with their time and money.

The problem of social-cultural anti-fat biases make it difficult for an individual who is already suffering from obesity or being overweight to begin to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Many people view overweight and obese people as individuals who do not care about their health, are lazy, unattractive, undereducated, and not successful (Berger, 2004). These biases hurt the subjective well being of overweight and obese individuals and discourage them from going outside or to a gym to exercise where they may be judged as a person with these undesirable characteristics.

Combined with this problem are continued technological advancements that are increasing the appeal of sedentary activity by creating larger-than-life televisions with more options than a new motor vehicle. There are video games that appeal to the young, adult, female and male populations. If these are not enough ways to entertain ourselves while sitting, the internet can also provide a day of shopping from the comfort of our homes. Technology has helped to create an environment where it is socially acceptable and desirable to return to our sofas day in and day out. Many of these activities are socially encouraged, practiced, and formed into meaningless habits (Kretchmar, 2001).

To put an end to the continual increase in overweight and obese people we must find a way to make exercise a habit. Many habits may seem meaningless at first glance, but most were initially formed due to some form of meaning in our life. For example, before there were seatbelt laws, people were educated about the safety they provided while driving a vehicle. Laws were then passed, meaning one would receive a fine for not wearing their seatbelt. Now most everyone immediately puts on their seatbelt before they leave their driveway (Kretchmar, 2001). It is suggested by many that we must find personal meaning in exercise for it to become a daily habit as is the case with seatbelts

(Kretchmar, 2001; Metheny, 1968).

We find meaning in all things that are intentionally done throughout a day whether or not we are aware of it. Buying a cup of coffee to warm up and wake up, or something less noticeable such as hearing the tapping of key board keys as one sits in their office at work are examples of things with meaning in our lives. It is these meanings that form our daily habits. An additional factor exists to form meanings behind our daily activities; something makes them personal to us. Whether it was an emotion that was sparked, feelings induced, enjoyment experienced, or something we created, what we do on a daily basis becomes a habit because, at least initially, we discovered a personal meaning to the event or activity. The health necessity to lose weight is clearly not enough to stimulate people to exercise regularly. Therefore, for people to make a commitment to exercise like the commitments they have formed with other daily activities, people must find personal meaning in being physically active (Kretchmar,

2001).

Currently most experiences in exercise can be described as activity which is disconnected from the rest of out daily lives (Kretchmar, 2001). Many individuals plug in their head phones, find a favorite television show, turn up the volume, in an attempt to distract themselves from the exercise they are trying to attain from a piece of cardiovascular equipment in a gym. This exercise has some meaning (the attainment of physical activity), but it is not likely meaningful. Just because person eats when they are hungry does not mean that eating is necessarily a meaningful experience (Rickel, 2005).

Recently, sports philosophers have begun to investigate how to reconnect individuals to their exercise and make it a part of their life narrative through philosophical reflection. It is thought that if an individual were to reflect on why they are participating in a selected activity they may be able to find personal meaning in that activity, which would result in meaningful experiences with exercise, thus stimulating a commitment to exercise similar to daily activities with which one has already formed a commitment (Rickel, 2005;

Kretchmar 2001).

A recent study investigated the effectiveness of a narrative-based exercise philosophy curriculum, supplemented by online lessons in the hopes of facilitating the discovery of personal meaning in one’s exercise. The curriculum, inspired by Kretchmar

(2004), taught about subjective meaning in exercise and stimulated refection on each subjective concept through the online lessons (Rickel, 2005). Findings from this study, as well as several other studies on reflection, have lead researchers to believe reflection does stimulate the formation of personal meaning allowing one to connect learned theory or skill to practiced habit (Rickel, 2005; Carter, 1993; Riley- Doucet & Willson, 1997;

Doyle & Carter, 2003). Though reflection has been shown to improve one’s ability to connect theory and practice, research on the theory that reflecting on subjective value in exercise will facilitate personal meaning and the formation of a commitment to exercise is minimal at best.

Problem Statement

The purpose of this quasi experimental study is to compare commitment to activity in a personal fitness class to a narrative based personal fitness class in a college population at a public northwest university.

Independent Variables

A personal fitness activity class (control group: No TLC) - a one credit academic physical activity class, requiring students to participate in sixteen physical activity classes offered though a university wellness program over the course of one semester. Each of the 30 to 50 minute classes are offered weekly during regularly scheduled times at the university’s student recreation center. Students may choose from weight training, spinning, water aerobics, body toning, yoga, pilaties, step aerobics, rebounding, and stability ball balance classes. Each class is lead by certified group fitness and/or personal training professional. The objectives of the class focus on developing and maintaining cardiovascular efficiency, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Narrative based personal fitness activity class (intervention group: TLC) – An online academic class, which requires students to be enrolled in at least one personal fitness credit and the completion of thirteen narrative based mini lessons. The students may choose from the same activities classes available through the university’s wellness program that are made available to the control group. The narrative based lessons will be implemented using a web based e-learning to teach and motivate students about a life narrative approach to inspire commitment to exercise. An e-learning program known as

WebCt was used to facilitate the narrative based mini lessons.

Dependent variable

Change in commitment to activity, determined by pre and post-test scores for both objective and subjective questions on the Rickel Value Inventory-RVI.

Research Sub-Problems

1. What is commitment to exercise?

2. What is the Rickel Value inventory?

3. What is a personal fitness class?

4. What is a narrative based personal fitness class?

Statistical Sub-Problems

1. What is the difference by group (Personal Fitness, and TLC Personal Fitness)

regardless of time on the Rickel Value Inventory objective measures?

2. What is the difference pre to post-test regardless of group on the Rickel Value

Inventory objective measures? 3. What is the difference by the interaction of group (Personal Fitness, and TLC

Personal Fitness) pre to post-test on the Rickel Value Inventory objective

measures?

4. What is the difference by group (Personal Fitness, and TLC Personal Fitness)

regardless of time on the Rickel Value Inventory subjective measures?

5. What is the difference pre to post-test regardless of group on the Rickel Value

Inventory subjective measures?

6. What is the difference by the interaction of group (Personal Fitness, and TLC

Personal Fitness) pre to post-test on Rickel Value Inventory subjective measures?

Hypotheses

1. No difference exists by group (Personal Fitness, and TLC Personal Fitness)

regardless of time on the Rickel Value Inventory objective measures.

2. No difference exists by group (Personal Fitness, and TLC Personal Fitness)

regardless of time on the Rickel Value Inventory subjective measures.

3. No difference exists pre to post-test regardless of group on the Rickel Value

Inventory objective measures.

4. No difference exists pre to post-test regardless of group on the Rickel Value

Inventory subjective measures.

5. No difference exists by the interaction of group (Personal Fitness, and TLC

Personal Fitness) pre to post-test on the Rickel Value Inventory objective

measures. 6. No difference exists by the interaction of group (Personal Fitness, and TLC

Personal Fitness) pre to post-test on Rickel Value Inventory subjective measures.

Assumptions

1. Students in the test group have the computer skills necessary to use WebCT.

2. Students in both the test and control group are representative of a normal college

population.

3. The mental and physical capacities of the participants were within the normal

range for university students.

4. The Personal Fitness instructors are certified instructors for the given exercise

classes they teach.

5. The RVI instrument used to measure commitment to activity was valid and

reliable.

6. The participants desired to be physically active, because they signed up for the

class voluntarily.

Limitations

1. The sample size is somewhat small making it difficult to collect statistically

significant data from the study.

2. The sample population had a strict inclusion criterion, requiring students to be

enrolled in at least one Personal Fitness credit.

3. As college students, the subjects may have had more education than the average

person. 4. The subjects enrolled, by choice, in the Personal Fitness course were and may

potentially practice more healthy behaviors than the general undergraduate

population.

5. The subjects were seeking an education and may be more accepting of new

knowledge than other persons.

6. The instructors did not take an active role in facilitating the TLC learning process.

7. Motivation to complete the online lessons was only provided through daily email,

no verbal encouragement was provided.

Definition of Terms

1. Personal Fitness Class- a physical education activities credit, which requires

students to participate in 16 wellness classes (i.e. spinning, yoga, rebounding,

weight training, kick boxing, etc.) throughout the course of one semester.

2. Life Narrative - One’s interpretation of the information and experiences of their

daily life experiences.

Need for the Study

Chronic diseases accounted for five of six leading causes of death in 2002, many of which are preventable through regular physical activity. Physical inactivity contributes to an increased risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes (CDC, 2005b). According to the CDC (2005b) 30% of adults are obese and 16% of children and adolescents ages 6-19 are overweight. The problem of overweight and obese people has reached epidemic proportions. These reasons are what health care providers, organizations like the CDC, and other health professionals stress to encourage people to become more physically active. The benefits of physical activity, such as weight management, increased self-esteem, prevention of heart attacks, healthy bones and muscles, have been promoted to the public in numerous ways and have become common knowledge to many.

However, even though people know all of the important reasons for being physically active, many still fail to move enough on daily basis to reap the health benefits of physical activity. Our health, longevity, and quality of life apparently are not important enough reasons to commit to being physically active. Therefore, individuals need to discover something beyond the long list of objective reasons for being physically active.

Sport philosophers have suggested, if an individual can find personal meaning in physical activity, they will be hooked and forever committed (Kretchmar, 2001; Rickel, 2005).

Rickel (2005) made one of the first attempts to stimulate personal meaning in exercise through the use of a narrative-based exercise philosophy curriculum supplemented by the online reflection lessons focused on subjective measures (ie fun and play) rather than objective measures. Her findings were promising, but further research is needed to establish the validity and reliability of the value measurement tool (Rickel

Value Inventory [RVI]) and the intervention curriculum (Tips, Learning, and Challenges

[TLC]). In addition testing the tools effect on different populations and in different settings is necessary to discover the versatility of the program for future use.