Media Watch
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: 3

Motivation toward Physical Activity: Effect of Social Media Community on Exercise Adherence

1University of Idaho, USA

2Washington State University, USA

*Correspondence to: Dr. Rebecca J. Tallent, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Media, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 3178, Moscow, ID 83844-3178, USA. E-mail: rtallent@uidaho.edu

Online published on 12 September, 2016.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide information regarding a venue for exercise adherence motivation toward physical activity via social media support. The five themes identified that positively affected participants ’intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to adhere to exercise through a social media fitness application were: accountability matters; support is crucial for a sedentary population beginning exercise; recognition of gains positively affects motivation; social media creates positive fitness competition; and fitness is a lifestyle.

Keywords

Social media, adherence, motivation, exercise