As Canadians get older they tend to exercise more to maintain fitness and less for fun, and that may lead them to stop doing it says the author of a new study on motivation and physical activity. More than 2,000 people of all ages filled in detailed questionnaires for the study.
The desire to be “toned and fit” was a top motivator for all ages. Next most cited was “stress reduction.” But two motivators that did not remain constant were embracing activity for adventure, and for “fun and friends.” This surprised Jim Gavin, a professor of applied human sciences at Concordia University in Montreal.
Listen“What really stunned me is that as we age, there is a linear decrease in the degree to which people exercise for fun…and to be with friends, and to have a good time and to be adventurous, and to learn new things and to challenge themselves. And I thought, oh there’s writing on the wall with this, that there may be problems in the future,” says Gavin.
Seniors may ‘fall onto the couch’
If older Canadians only pursue physical activity because they feel they have to, Gavin fears they will stop doing it. “I think that means that eventually they’re going to fall off the StairMaster, the treadmill, the exercise machines, their routines, the physical activity onto the couch and become more and more sedentary as the years go on.” Gavin worries that more inactivity means less mobility and poorer health.
The fitness industry should move away from promoting machine-dominated options, says Gavin and focus more on activities that are more personally meaningful and socially connected. Team sports and martial art are examples he suggests. He notes that if you look at people playing tennis or skiing, they are not counting calories.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.