From Awareness to Action: The Influence of Daily Physical Activity Awareness on Health Beliefs, Intentions, and Physical Activity Levels

Abstract

Many people perceive physical activity solely as structured exercise, overlooking the benefits of daily activities like walking for transportation. This study explores office workers' perceptions of physical activity and assesses an intervention to broaden their understanding of physical activity to include non-leisure contexts, providing a foundation for future health promotion programs. Study 1 included 20 office workers (12 males, 8 females; Mage = 35.4) who participated in in-depth interviews to explore their perceptions of physical activity. Study 2 included 30 office workers (experimental group: 9 males, 6 females, Mage = 32.8; control group: 5 males, 10 females, Mage = 29.6), randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group received an intervention to enhance their awareness of physical activity across four domains. In Study 1, participants primarily perceived physical activity solely as leisure and failed to distinguish between exercise and physical activity. In Study 2, participants in the experimental group reported an increase in perceived benefits and a decrease in perceived barriersrelated to physical activity. Both groups showed significant improvement in physical activity levels compared to pre-intervention, with a larger effect size in the experimental group (Cohen’s d = 0.62) compared to the control group (Cohen’s d = 0.34), indicating that enhanced awareness contributed to greater behavior change. Broadening the perception of physical activity can promote both intentions to engage in physical activity and actual physical activity levels. The findings highlight the value of developing intervention programs that clarify the domains of physical activity, providing a foundation for strategies to foster healthier lifestyles.