Barriers and motivators to physical activity among overweight and obese baby boomer men

Boomers are developing obesity earlier in life than previous generations due primarily to poor eating habits and low levels of physical activity. This study explored the barriers and motivators to physical activity among male baby boomers as well as their preferred types of activities. A self-administered survey was completed by 211 male baby boomers in North Central Florida. Based on BMI, 42.7% were overweight, 38.9% were obese, and 17.1% were normal. With regard to planned moderate cardiovascular activity, (13.3%) exercised 5-7 times per week, (26.5%) exercised 3-4 times per week, (25.1%) exercised 1-2 times per week, and (32.3%) did not exercise regularly. The most common physical activities were walking (59.7%), biking (19.9%), and running (17.5%). The reported barriers to physical activity were: not having time (32.7%), getting home too late (25.6%), not motivated (21.3%) physical activity not a priority (17.5%), getting enough exercise at work (15.6%), would rather rest and relax (14.7%), and don't like exercise (10.9%). Motivators to physical activity included: wanting to lose weight (54.5%), being diagnosed with a disease or illness (37.0%), being told by a doctor (32.2%), and having someone to exercise with (30.8%). The high rates of overweight and obesity prevalence along with limited cardiovascular activity suggest that weight loss programs for male baby boomers must emphasize physical activity. Walking is a low intensity cardiovascular activity that is acceptable to these men. Weight loss programs that include preferred forms of physical activity, possibly in conjunction with social interaction, may be more suitable for this population.