Motives and Barriers Related to Physical Activity and Sport across Social Backgrounds: Implications for Health Promotion

Marlene Rosager Lund Pedersen, Anne Faber Hansen and Karsten Elmose-Østerlund
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Marlene Rosager Lund Pedersen: Centre for Sports, Health and Civil Society, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
Anne Faber Hansen: Department of Research and Analysis, University Library of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
Karsten Elmose-Østerlund: Centre for Sports, Health and Civil Society, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Studies have found physical inactivity to be a significant health risk factor and have demonstrated how physical inactivity behaviour varies according to social background. As a result, differences according to social background must be considered when examining motives and barriers related to physical activity and sport. This scoping review examines motives and barriers related to physical activity and sport among people with different social backgrounds, including age, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnic minority background and disability status. A systematic literature search was performed in four scientific databases and yielded 2935 articles of which 58 articles met the inclusion criteria. We identified common motives for physical activity and sport as health benefits, well-being, enjoyment, social interaction, and social support; common barriers as time restrictions, fatigue and lack of energy, financial restrictions, health-related restrictions, low motivation, and shortage of facilities. We also identified several motives and barriers that were specific to or more pronounced among people with different social backgrounds. The knowledge about motives and barriers related to physical activity and sport provided in this article can inform health promotion initiatives that seek to improve public health both in general and when specifically targeting groups of people with different social backgrounds.

Keywords: motives; motivation; barriers; physical activity; sport; health promotion; public health; social background; literature review; scoping review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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