Table 2.
Frequency of responses to Barriers to Healthy Eating and Barriers to Physical Activity Scales
| Barrier | Percent Response | Mean score | SD | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Eating | Never | Rarely | Sometimes | Often | Very Often | ||
| Holidays and special occasions are a problem | 16.6 | 18.4 | 32.5 | 25.8 | 6.7 | 2.9 | 1.2 |
| I feel like eating whatever I want | 14.1 | 19.6 | 35.6 | 20.9 | 9.8 | 2.9 | 1.2 |
| High fat foods taste better | 16.6 | 20.9 | 33.7 | 17.8 | 11.0 | 2.9 | 1.2 |
| I eat a lot of meals away from home | 20.2 | 24.5 | 30.7 | 15.3 | 9.2 | 2.7 | 1.2 |
| It's easier to grab another type of snack and eat it in my car | 29.4 | 22.7 | 31.3 | 9.8 | 6.7 | 2.4 | 1.2 |
| It takes too much planning to eat a healthier diet | 36.8 | 14.7 | 33.1 | 9.8 | 5.5 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| High fat foods are a traditional part of my culture | 35.0 | 31.3 | 17.2 | 13.5 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.1 |
| Healthier foods are too expensive | 45.4 | 20.9 | 24.5 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 2 | 1.1 |
| There are no healthy food options at sporting events | 53.4 | 16.0 | 16.6 | 8.6 | 5.5 | 2 | 1.2 |
| I can't keep track of what I need to eat | 43.6 | 30.1 | 21.5 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.0 |
| Fruits and vegetables don't fill me up | 44.2 | 28.8 | 21.5 | 1.8 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 |
| Fruits and vegetables take too long to prepare | 54.0 | 20.9 | 21.5 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 1.0 |
| I don't know how to cook healthier meals | 60.1 | 19.0 | 11.0 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| There are no healthier foods in vending machines | 61.7 | 15.4 | 9.3 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| I don't like the taste of healthier foods | 55.2 | 27.6 | 12.9 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 |
| My family doesn't support me for eating more healthfully | 66.9 | 20.2 | 9.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| I don't like the taste of fruits and vegetables | 69.1 | 19.8 | 9.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| I don't know how to cook vegetables | 71.8 | 19.0 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| I don't know where to find low fat foods | 77.3 | 19.0 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 |
| Physical Activity | |||||||
| Lack of time | 11.0 | 18.4 | 30.1 | 19.0 | 21.5 | 3.2 | 1.3 |
| Lack of self-discipline | 10.4 | 18.4 | 39.9 | 17.8 | 13.5 | 3.1 | 1.2 |
| Fatigue (or lack of energy) | 15.3 | 20.2 | 31.3 | 16.6 | 16.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 |
| Procrastination | 19.6 | 17.8 | 34.4 | 13.5 | 14.7 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
| Lack of interest in exercise | 16.6 | 25.8 | 35.0 | 11.0 | 11.7 | 2.8 | 1.2 |
| Family responsibilities | 24.5 | 20.2 | 25.2 | 19.0 | 11.0 | 2.7 | 1.3 |
| Exercise not in routine | 31.3 | 17.2 | 20.2 | 14.1 | 17.2 | 2.7 | 1.5 |
| Pain or discomfort | 33.7 | 20.2 | 25.2 | 9.2 | 11.7 | 2.5 | 1.3 |
| Lack of enjoyment from exercise | 32.5 | 25.8 | 22.1 | 9.2 | 10.4 | 2.4 | 1.3 |
| Exercise is not a priority | 36.2 | 23.3 | 23.3 | 11.0 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| Exercise is boring | 43.2 | 25.9 | 15.4 | 8.6 | 6.8 | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| Lack of company | 46.6 | 25.2 | 14.7 | 7.4 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 |
| Inconvenient exercise schedule | 51.5 | 14.7 | 19.6 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
| Weather | 46.6 | 27.6 | 18.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 |
| Lack of equipment | 63.8 | 20.9 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| Cost of exercising | 71.8 | 12.3 | 8.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| Lack of skills | 71.8 | 16.6 | 7.4 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| No facilities or space to exercise | 77.3 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| Fear of injury | 69.3 | 17.2 | 9.2 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| Feeling nauseated | 78.5 | 12.9 | 8.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| Lack of knowledgeable exercise staff | 77.9 | 12.3 | 8.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
Note: Participants rated how often a list of barriers “interfered with your plan to exercise in the past month” and responses were: 1=Never, 2=Rarely, 3=Sometimes, 4= Often, or 5=Very Often.