Preditores de manutenção da atividade física de adultos em serviços de academias de ginástica de Pelotas-RS

Abstract

Physical activity is a complex behavior, with different factors that contribute and hinder its practice. Studies that have a conceptual basis in behavioral theories, such as the Social Cognitive Theory, try to fill this knowledge gap in the area of physical activity, especially by being able to establish, previously, the basis on the possible processes of behavioral change and its interaction with individual, social domains and environmental. In Brazil, gyms are establishments that provide physical activity spaces with great acceptance by the population. However, studies aimed at understanding how individuals can adhere to and maintain their physical activity behavior in these spaces are still scarce in the literature. The main objective of the thesis is to identify how different predictors aligned with the Social Cognitive Theory may be associated with the maintenance of leisure-time physical activity among adult individuals attending gyms in the city of Pelotas-RS. For this, a longitudinal study was carried out with an original sample of 390 individuals, in which 334 were again interviewed with an interval of 12 months. The thesis consists of two articles. The first is a narrative review on Social Cognitive Theory, with the objective of elucidating the conceptual and historical construction of the theory, its general mechanisms / concepts and its interlocution with physical activity. The main premise of this theory of psychology is about the exercise of personal agency, that is, the direction in which the individual takes his life depends on the nature and flexibility of the environment, as well as personal ambitions. Factors such as self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support and its relationship to physical activity are discussed in the article. The second article is original and considers the results of the follow-up after 12 months. The study aimed to elucidate how different predictors, especially cognitive behavioral ones, may be associated with the maintenance of leisurephysical activity in gyms after a period of 12 months. The analyzes revealed that income, previous physical activity in gyms, spouse social support and selfefficacy were associated with the aintenance of leisure physical activity in gyms after 12 months. Cognitive behavioral predictors are associated with maintaining leisure-time physical activity in gyms and can have important effects as interventional tools for behavioral change.