Effect of Motivation by “Instagram” on Adherence to Physical Activity among Female College Students

Objective. To investigate the efficacy of using “Instagram application” with a “home-exercise program” as a motivational stimulus in improving physical activity (PA) adherence levels among female college students. Methods. Fifty-eight female undergraduate students with the mean age 20.3 ± 0.96 years participated. Participants were divided into two groups: intervention and the control group; both the groups received an exercise program and the intervention group was additionally motivated by “Instagram.” Adherence to PA was measured by using an adherence sheet. The Exercise Motivation Inventory (EMI-2) was used to assess the motivational factors. Results. The most frequent motivational factors were extrinsic as assessed using the EMI-2. “Positive health” was the most frequent factor mentioned of the two types with 47% of the sample. The intervention group adhered with 17% more to the activity program compared to the control group. Moreover, 72% of the participants in the intervention and control groups found the activity program flexible enough to be performed at home; they agreed about its effectiveness on adherence (53%). Conclusions. The use of Instagram with the home exercise program as a motivational modality could be attractive and effective to reinforce adherence and maintain an appropriate PA level.

[1]  D. Markland,et al.  The exercise motivations inventory: Preliminary development and validity of a measure of individuals' reasons for participation in regular physical exercise , 1993 .

[2]  D. Ingledew,et al.  The measurement of exercise motives: Factorial validity and invariance across gender of a revised Exercise Motivations Inventory , 1997 .

[3]  Kennon M. Sheldon,et al.  Intrinsic motivation and exercise adherence. , 1997 .

[4]  A. Bauman,et al.  Correlates of adults' participation in physical activity: review and update. , 2002, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[5]  S. Anton,et al.  Adherence to exercise prescriptions: effects of prescribing moderate versus higher levels of intensity and frequency. , 2002, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[6]  R. J. Sullivan,et al.  Exercise Adherence and 10‐Year Mortality in Chronically Ill Older Adults , 2002, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[7]  J. Wardle,et al.  Socioeconomic differences in attitudes and beliefs about healthy lifestyles , 2003, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[8]  J. Manson,et al.  Adiposity as compared with physical activity in predicting mortality among women. , 2005, The New England journal of medicine.

[9]  H. Al-Hazzaa.  Prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia: a brief review. , 2004, Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit.

[10]  J. Tuomilehto,et al.  Relationship of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index to the Risk of Hypertension: A Prospective Study in Finland , 2004, Hypertension.

[11]  John Bartholomew,et al.  College Students' Motivation for Physical Activity: Differentiating Men's and Women's Motives for Sport Participation and Exercise , 2005, Journal of American college health : J of ACH.

[12]  H. Al-Hazzaa,et al.  Prevalence of physical activity and inactivity among Saudis aged 30-70 years. A population-based cross-sectional study. , 2007, Saudi medical journal.

[13]  C. Sedikides,et al.  Wellness motivation in cardiac rehabilitation: the role of self-knowledge in cardiovascular risk modification. , 2007, Research in nursing & health.

[14]  J. S. Sodhi,et al.  Using Internet and Mobile Phone Technology to Deliver an Automated Physical Activity Program: Randomized Controlled Trial , 2007, Journal of medical Internet research.

[15]  E. Martinsen.  Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression , 2008, Nordic journal of psychiatry.

[16]  S. Blair.  Physical inactivity: the biggest public health problem of the 21st century. , 2009, British journal of sports medicine.

[17]  J. Hootman,et al.  2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: an opportunity for athletic trainers. , 2009, Journal of athletic training.

[18]  E. Vittinghoff,et al.  Innovation to motivation--pilot study of a mobile phone intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary women. , 2010, Preventive medicine.

[19]  C. Sabiston,et al.  Exploring motivation for physical activity across the adult lifespan , 2011 .

[20]  Noorbakhsh Mahvash,et al.  The Effect of Physical Activity on Primary Dysmenorrhea of Female University Students , 2012 .

[21]  E. Al-Eisa,et al.  Physical Activity and Health Beliefs among Saudi Women , 2012, Journal of nutrition and metabolism.

[22]  P. Simkhada,et al.  Factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Asian developing countries: a systematic review , 2012, Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH.

[23]  P. Theofilou,et al.  Adherence and Physical Activity , 2013, Health psychology research.

[24]  M. A. Salam,et al.  Socio-demographic Determinants of Compliance among Type 2 Diabetic Patients in Abha, Saudi Arabia. , 2013, Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR.

[25]  Andrew T. Kaczynski,et al.  Comparison of traditional versus mobile app self-monitoring of physical activity and dietary intake among overweight adults participating in an mHealth weight loss program , 2013, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[26]  D. Guedes,et al.  Exercise motives in a sample of Brazilian university students , 2013 .

[27]  A. I. Elbur.  Diabetes Self-Care Activities (Diet & Exercise) and Adherence to Treatment: A Hospital –Based Study among Diabetic Male Patients in Taif, Saudi Arabia , 2014 .

[28]  B. Vandermeer,et al.  Social media interventions for diet and exercise behaviours: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials , 2014, BMJ Open.

[29]  N. Haga,et al.  Self‐monitoring has potential for home exercise programmes in patients with haemophilia , 2014, Haemophilia : the official journal of the World Federation of Hemophilia.