‘I can't relate to it’: Exploring autistic and non-autistic adults' perceptions of the Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines

Background

Despite sufficient physical activity (PA) being strongly associated with better health outcomes, half of the Australian population does not meet the Australian PA and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. This shortfall is more pronounced among autistic adults, who exhibit poorer health outcomes and lower PA levels than non-autistic adults. Despite these disparities, there is a limited understanding of how autistic and non-autistic individuals perceive and interpret the PA guidelines.

Methods

This study investigated how autistic and non-autistic adults perceive and comprehend the Australian PA guidelines. This study used interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results

A total of 15 autistic and 20 non-autistic adults were interviewed, and 4 themes that were largely similar between both groups were identified: (1) Lack of Awareness and Engagement with the PA Guidelines, (2) Misinterpretation of Key Terms and Concepts, (3) Perceived lack of Relevance and Relatability of the PA Guidelines and (4) Lack of Inclusivity.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the importance of crafting health communication and promotion materials that are more visible, clear, inclusive and engaging for non-autistic and autistic individuals in Australia.

So What?

This study highlights the potential for improving the number of people correctly understanding the PA guidelines by addressing dissemination methods, knowledge and interpretation of the guidelines as some components of the multifaceted process required to achieve behaviour change.