Abstract
Background:
Research suggest increasing physical activity alone may not protect against detrimental health outcomes. People living sedentary lifestyles have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (Young et al., 2016), even when engaging in physical activity. It has also been suggested that the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) can be used to predict sedentary behavior (Prapavessis et al., 2015), however there is little research addressing predictors of sedentary lifestyle across cultures. The present study explores the relationship between TPB constructs and sedentary behavior in different cultural contexts.
Methods: Data was collected from participants (N=2841) in 10 unique cultural contexts (e.g., Indonesia, Ghana, Germany). Participants completed measures of TPB constructs related to physical activity and self-reported physical activity and sedentariness. Multiple linear regressions were run for the data as a whole and for individual countries.
Results: Regression analyses included physical activity attitudes, norms, behavioral control, and intentions as predictors. A multiple regression including all countries revealed only behavioral control as a predictor of sitting time during an average week, F(4, 2734)=4.83,p=.002,R=.08. Regressions for individual cultures, however, tell a more complex story. Cultural differences emerged for the TPB constructs predicting sedentary behavior. Attitudes, behavioral control, and intentions appeared as sole predictors in some cultures, while four cultures had no significant predictors of sedentariness.
Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of considering cultural context when discussing determinants of health behaviors. While TPB may be useful in predicting sedentary behaviors, interventions for decreasing sedentary time should consider predictors specific to cultural context.
Research suggest increasing physical activity alone may not protect against detrimental health outcomes. People living sedentary lifestyles have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (Young et al., 2016), even when engaging in physical activity. It has also been suggested that the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) can be used to predict sedentary behavior (Prapavessis et al., 2015), however there is little research addressing predictors of sedentary lifestyle across cultures. The present study explores the relationship between TPB constructs and sedentary behavior in different cultural contexts.
Methods: Data was collected from participants (N=2841) in 10 unique cultural contexts (e.g., Indonesia, Ghana, Germany). Participants completed measures of TPB constructs related to physical activity and self-reported physical activity and sedentariness. Multiple linear regressions were run for the data as a whole and for individual countries.
Results: Regression analyses included physical activity attitudes, norms, behavioral control, and intentions as predictors. A multiple regression including all countries revealed only behavioral control as a predictor of sitting time during an average week, F(4, 2734)=4.83,p=.002,R=.08. Regressions for individual cultures, however, tell a more complex story. Cultural differences emerged for the TPB constructs predicting sedentary behavior. Attitudes, behavioral control, and intentions appeared as sole predictors in some cultures, while four cultures had no significant predictors of sedentariness.
Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of considering cultural context when discussing determinants of health behaviors. While TPB may be useful in predicting sedentary behaviors, interventions for decreasing sedentary time should consider predictors specific to cultural context.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | S53 |
| Volume | 28 |
| No. | Suppl 1 |
| Specialist publication | International Journal of Behavioral Medicine |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2021 |
