Health Behavior and Exercise Adherence

Abstract

Behavioral compliance is a fundamental problem in exercise settings. Exercise psychology is concerned with psychosocial determinants of exercise behavior. First, theories and research related to the psychology of exercise are reviewed. Next, five major unanswered questions that revolve around the most commonly studied and least understood aspects of exercise behavior are explored. Specifically, antecedents, determinants, consequences, measurement, and interindividual differences related to exercise behavior are considered. The importance of effectively answering these questions is discussed considering that physical inactivity remains the greatest public health issue of the 21st century. Finally, from a scientist-practitioner standpoint, the potential of experimental methods, systematic reviews, case reports, expert opinions, and cohort studies for approaching the unknowns and advancing the field is evaluated.