RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DOMAINS OF MOTIVATION AND LEVELS OF SPONTANEOUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR: A CROSS-CUTTING STUDY
Motivation. Pleasure. Physical activity.
INTRODUCTION: Current evidence suggests that physical activity and sedentary behavior can be influenced by diferente domains of motivations, thus understanding the types of motivations that intervene in these behaviors is crucial. OBJECTIVE: Based on the theory of self-determination, the aim of the study was to verify the associations between the motivation domains with the levels of spontaneous physical activity and sedentary behavior measured by accelerometry. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out with one hundred and sixty-four participants (58,5% women; age: median = 31,50, percentiles 25–75 = 26,25–40,0 years; BMI: median = 25,35, percentiles 25–75 = 22,65–29,07 kg/m²). Levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior were measured by accelerometry. The motivation domains (amotivation, intrinsic, external, introjected, identified and self-determination index) were verified by the BREQ-2 questionnaire. RESULTS: Intrisic motivation was positively associated with MPA (β = 1,84, p = 0,036) and MVPA (β = 2,20, p = 0,034). Introjected motivation was positively associated with MVPA (β = 2,32, p = 0,034) and amotivation was negatively associated with sedentary behavior (β = -0,42, p = 0,006). CONCLUSION: Adults who had greater intrinsic motivation (interest and pleasure in the activity) demonstrated higher levels of moderate and moderate/vigorous physical activity. Therefore, intrinsic motivation may be a factor that should be considered in strategies aimed at increasing the practice of physical activity in adults.