Adhesion and adherence of children to regular physical activity: notes for public policies - DOI: 10.4025/reveducfis.v20i3.5363

Abstract

The research investigated adhesion and adherence factors for regular physical activity (PA) among third and forth graders in a public school from Curitiba. The study was qualitative and the data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the school principal and with eight children and four parents of children who practice extra-curricular PA. According to the parents, the primary PA adhesion and adherence factors were health, use of free time and socialization. For the children, the primary factors were incentives, enjoyment of the activity, and the opportunity to be with peers. The factor most likely to interfere with regular PA was the access to locations where it occurs. The data suggest the need to (1) educate people about benefits of PA, (2) help young people to develop a taste for PA, and (3) optimize the use of school and of other public spaces close to the school to promote PA.