An Investigation of the Relation Between Religion and Exercise Motivation

The present study sought to investigate whether traditional secular or faith-based program factors were more responsible for motivating women (N=220, M age = 44.6 yr.) to participate in Christian exercise programs. Based on the results of a pilot study, the Christian Exercise Program Questionnaire was developed and mailed to the study participants. The internal reliability of the questionnaire was excellent as indicated by Cronbach coefficient alpha. As expected, those aspects of the exercise program that were faith-based, e.g., modest clothing, noncompetitive, and worshipful atmosphere, were considered more important than traditional secular factors, e.g., personal trainers and childcare, in the decision to enroll in the program (t[sub219] = 9.23, P< .001). The findings suggest exercise programs that incorporate faith-based practices may appeal to a segment of the population and provide an alternative strategy for improving participation rates in physical activity.