[[alternative]]The Stages of Exercise, Physiacl Activity and Their Determinants: A Study of the Middle-Aged from the Chungshan District in Taipei

[[abstract]]The purpose of this study is to explore the stages of exercise, amount of physical activity and their determinants among the middle-aged in a community. The subjects chosen were from the middle-aged of the Chungshan District in Taipei. Cluster sampling was used to choose from the age group of 40~64 during April and May 2001. Questionnaires were used in the interviews with a total of five hundred and four (504) subjects. The data thus collected were analyzed with Chi-square test, t-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, Spearman rank-order correlation and Multiple regression. The results are： 1. This study finds out in the selected subjects the self- efficacy for exercise slightly below the mean; medium perceived barriers for exercise; high perceived benefits for exercise, and medium social supports from family, friends and the medical personnel; 2. In terms of the stages of exercise of the subjects, 6.0% are precontemplation ; 4.4% are contemplation; 55% are preparation; 4.6% are action and 30.6% are maintenance; 3. The factors that help determine the stages of exercise of the middle aged in the community include age, occupation, self-efficacy for exercise, perceived barriers for exercise, and social supports for exercise; 4. Significant variance is observed in the amount of physical activity depending on the stages of exercise, and the highest amount of physical activity is found in the phase of maintenance compared to the other phases of preparation, contemplation, and precontemplation ; 5. Walking, strolling, mopping floor and stair-climbing are the most frequently engaged exercises of the subjects during weekdays; hiking, walking, strolling and mopping floor are those during weekends and holidays; 6. Relative amount of physical activity and relative amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity of the middle aged in the community differ in gender, type of physical activity, raising any child or not, and perceived health status; they also indicate positive correlation with the self-efficacy for exercise, social supports, and places available for sports in the community; and 7. Self-efficacy for exercise, social supports, gender, educational background, athletic team experiences, exercise injury experiences, and places available for sports in the community are major predictors for both relative amount of physical activity and relative amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity of the middle aged in the community; explaining 13% variation respectively achieved in both relative amounts of physical activity. Finally, in order to promote physical activity among the middle aged, this study proposes to develop health fitting educational programs both according to various stages of exercise and for those with particular needs, to help the middle aged overcome perceived barriers for exercise, and to provide at work places proper exercise facilities and activities.