RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEALTH LITERACY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, MOTIVATION AND BARRIERS OF PEOPLE AGED 30–50 YEARS

Abstract

Background. An international study of health literacy among European citizens has shown that 47% of Europeans lack health literacy (Sørensen et al., 2015). Participation in physical activity is associated with health literacy. According to Matsushita, Harada, and Arao (2018), people with a lack of health literacy are less engaged in physical activity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate health literacy, physical activity, motivation of people aged 30 to 50 years and barriers to be physically active, so that in the future more effective measures for improving health literacy and promotion of physical activity could be developed.

Methods. To collect data, questionnaire survey was applied.

Results. Health literacy statistically significantly differed between age and physical activity groups (p < .05). However, there was no statistically significant difference as far as education is concerned (p > .05). There was also a statistically significant (p < .05) relationship between health literacy and physical activity as well as health literacy and motives, namely, enjoyment, competence, appearance, and fitness. The reverse relationship was found between health literacy and internal-external barriers.

Conclusions. Forty- fifty-year-olds and physically active individuals had a higher level of health literacy. There was no statistically significant difference in education. A statistically significant relationship between health literacy and physical activity among people aged 30–50 years was identified.