2011 Alberta Survey on Physical Activity: Executive Summary

Executive Summary

The Alberta Centre for Active Living has conducted the Alberta Survey on Physical Activity every other year since 1995 to monitor the physical activity levels of Albertans. The survey series is part of the Centre’s strategy to provide credible and user-friendly physical activity information to researchers, practitioners, communities and decision-makers.

2011 Results on Physical Activity Levels

• According to our survey, 54.3% of adult Albertans (56.1% of women, 52.4% of men) are sufficiently physically active, i.e., active enough to receive health benefits.
• The results from the 2011 Alberta survey are consistent with physical activity trends across Canada. A downward trend in physical activity levels over the last several years is not unique to Alberta.

Factors Influencing Leisure-Time Physical Activity

The survey examines different factors that influence leisure-time physical activity, in three broad categories: sociodemographic factors, psychological factors and access to physical activity opportunities.

Sociodemographic Factors

Some of the most significant findings are related to the five sociodemographic factors below:

• Age: The percentage of sufficiently physically active adults decreases with age. Approximately 80% of young adult Albertans aged 18-24 years are sufficiently active. A significant drop in activity level is seen in the next age category of 25-34 years, as only 62% are active. This downward trend continues as the age of Albertans increases, with only 34% of Albertans 65+ years being sufficiently active.
• Education: The proportion of sufficiently active Albertans is higher among those who completed high school or pursued post-secondary studies compared to those who did not complete high school.
• Income: The percentage of sufficiently active Albertans is highest among those with the highest annual household income. Those with an annual household income below $39,999 are the least likely to be sufficiently physically active.
• Marital Status: The proportion of sufficiently active Albertans is higher among those who have never been married and those who have common-law or live-in partners.
• Employment: The percentage of Albertans who are sufficiently active is higher among those who are employed compared to those who are not.

Accessibility to Physical Activity, Fitness Tax Credit and Walking

The following findings were reported in the 2011 survey:

• More than 55% of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that they have "easy access" to places where they can be physically active, while 34% disagree or strongly disagree.
• 75% of respondents would make use of a provincial adult fitness tax credit if one was available. (68.9% of inactive people would use this credit; 80.7% of active people would use this credit.)
• Those in middle and higher income brackets are more likely to use the tax credit. Those with household income under $29,999 are much less likely to use the credit.
• Albertans achieve a moderate amount of physical activity by walking. They do most of their walking during leisure time, followed by walking while at work, and then by walking as a form of transportation.

Psychological Factors

We found that various psychological factors can influence the physical activity levels of Albertans. The percentage of sufficiently physically active Albertans increases as:

• General self-efficacy increases. (General self-efficacy means confidence in being able to participate in regular physical activity.)
• Coping self-efficacy increases. (Coping self-efficacy means confidence in being able to overcome potential barriers to physical activity such as bad weather, feeling tired or being in a bad mood.)
• Scheduling self-efficacy increases. (Scheduling self-efficacy means confidence in being able to arrange one’s schedule to participate in physical activity.)
• Beliefs in the health benefits of physical activity increase.
• Intention to participate in physical activity increases.
• Perceived behavioural control increases. (Perceived behavioural control is the perception that if one wanted to, one could easily participate in regular physical activity.)

Predictors of Physical Activity

The survey determined different predictors of physical activity, in three broad categories: sociodemographic factors, psychological factors and access to physical activity opportunities.

Sociodemographic Predictors

Gender, age, employment status and marital status are the sociodemographic factors that predict physical activity levels (sufficiently active vs. insufficiently active) among Albertans.

• Female Albertans are 1.36 times more likely to be sufficiently active than males.
• Albertans aged 18–24 years are the most likely to be physically active. The probability of people achieving sufficient physical activity decreases as they age.
• Albertans that have both a paid job and are self-employed, are the most likely to be active and are three times more likely to be sufficiently active as Albertans who have a paid job.
• Widowed Albertans are less likely to be sufficiently active as Albertans who have never been married.

Psychological Predictors

After controlling for sociodemographic factors, the psychological predictors of physical activity status were general self-efficacy, scheduling self-efficacy, and intention to participate in physical activity.

• Albertans with high general self-efficacy are two times more likely to be sufficiently active as Albertans with low general self-efficacy.
• Albertans with high scheduling self-efficacy are 1.8 times more likely to be sufficiently active as Albertans with low coping self-efficacy.
• Albertans with moderate or high intention to participate in regular physical activity are 4.3 and 6.1 times more likely to be sufficiently active as Albertans with low intention.

Accessibility Predictors

• Albertans who agree or strongly agree that they have easy access to places where they can be physically active are 2.8 times more likely to be sufficiently active as compared to Albertans who disagree or strongly disagree.

To read the concise report, go to the Alberta Centre for Active Living's website.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors

Christina Loitz, MSc, PhD Candidate
Research Coordinator, Alberta Centre for Active Living
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta

Tanya R. Berry, PhD
Research Associate, Alberta Centre for Active Living
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta

and

John C. Spence, PhD
Senior Research Associate, Alberta Centre for Active Living
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta

© 2011 Alberta Centre for Active Living
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise stored in a retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.