Exercise Engagement Is Differentially Motivated by Age-Dependent Factors

Objectives: To examine exercise engagement motives from adolescence throughout the adult life span using the Exercise Motivation Inventory 2 questionnaire. Methods: Two hundred fifty-five (255) participants, 13 – 84 years and equally representing both genders, were grouped by age and sex. Results: An age-dependent engagement in voluntary exercise was observed. Young adults engage in exercise based on interpersonal motives, whereas exercise engagement in middle age is associated with body-related motives and psychological motives. Health motives influence exercise engagement beyond middle age whereas fitness motives underpin exercise engagement throughout the life span beyond childhood. Conclusions: Data indicate age-dependent motivational factors for exercise engagement that may hold important implications for exercise adherence and engagement strategies.