Browsing by Subject "physical activity path"

Purpose. According to previous research there are many factors, for example physical environment, family and friends, that affect being physically active and forming a physically active lifestyle during childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the physical activity path of three young adults and research, which factors have affected to its forming. This study shows how physical activity has formed and struck root in the participants’ lives. Methods. The study involved three young adults who have a physically active lifestyle. The data were collected during the spring of the year 2017 by the giving participants a task in which they needed to draw a graph depicting physical activity during their lifetimes and by interviewing them. The interviews were supplemented afterwards via email. Everyone’s personal narrative, physical activity path, was formed from the interview data. The data was analyzed with a plot analysis, which is typical for narrative research, and by comparing it to previous research. Results and conclusion. Every participant has an own physical acitivity path. However, the backgrounds of two participants are quite similar compared to the third one. These two have been physically very active during their whole lives and they had been supported and guided to be physically active in many ways. They have also had plenty of positive experiences and experiences of success in physical activities. The third participant wasn’t physically active during her childhood and her family didn’t exercise. However, in the fifth grade she started to take dance lessons and in secondary school she had an encouraging PE teacher and she started to enjoy physical activity. Her physical self-esteem also rose. The joy and sociality of physical activity were repeated in every three stories. Other factors that are associated to physical activity and formation of physically active lifestyle are also realized in participants’ lives. This study shows that many kinds of physical activity paths can lead to the formation of a physically active lifestyle.