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. 2016 Dec 5;11(2):330–343. doi: 10.1177/1557988316680936

Table 2.

Key Motivators for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Reported by Australian Young Men (Aged 18-25 Years) From an Online Survey and Differences by Demographic and Behavioral Characteristics.a

Ranked as key motivatorb
 Not ranked as key motivator
 BMI
 Marital status
 Highest qual
 Income
 Employ
 PA
 Alc
 Stress
 Fruit & veg
% (n) p
Healthy eating motivators (n = 277)
Improve overall health 63.5 (176) 36.5 (101) .431 .990 .349 .329 .344 .672 .129 .011 .606
Improve body image 52.3 (145) 47.7 (132) .274 .946 .119 .601 .982 .909 .029 .457 .622
To have more energy 32.1 (89) 67.9 (188) .064 .278 .659 .993 .618 .994 .521 .518 .901
Improve sporting performance 29.2 (81) 70.8 (196) .389 .105 .447 .399 .548 .001c .270 .010 .823
Improve mental health and well-being 28.2 (78) 71.8 (199) .440 .574 .084 .893 .035 .450 .045 .001d .691
Attract a partner 27.4 (76) 72.6 (201) .805 .004e .611 .414 .815 .926 .045 .606 .231
To live longer 25.3 (70) 74.7 (207) .908 .960 .453 .797 .934 .167 .057 .075 .748
Achieve a healthy weight 20.9 (58) 79.1 (219) <.001f .424 .903 .937 .666 .041 .283 .615 .480
Improve sleeping patterns 11.6 (32) 88.5 (245) .085 .628 .020 .437 .914 .179 .834 .002g .834
Social influences (e.g., because your partner, family, or friends eat healthy) 5.4 (15) 94.6 (262) .754 .900 .742 .306 .885 .164 .530 .232 .331
Expectations to eat well 4.0 (11) 96.0 (266) .320 .461 .563 .649 .311 .660 .216 .966 .217
Physical activity motivators (n = 278)
Improve body image 44.6 (124) 55.4 (154) .604 .170 .807 .897 .387 .504 .059 .489 .682
Improve fitness 44.2 (123) 55.8 (155) .294 .003h .259 .805 .268 .643 .163 .747 .237
Improve overall health 41.0 (114) 59.0 (164) .180 .634 .590 .042 .574 .840 .034 .173 .485
Improve muscle mass 27.0 (75) 73.0 (203) .268 .463 .051 .459 .771 .034 .103 .058 .138
For enjoyment 26.3 (73) 73.7 (205) .118 .880 .896 .902 .362 .006i .802 .165 .546
Improve mental health and well-being 23.7 (66) 76.3 (212) .077 .467 .944 .074 .329 .902 .005j .004k .468
Improve sporting performance 23.4 (65) 76.6 (213) .888 .685 .131 .448 .339 .002l .878 .002m .570
Lose weight 21.6 (60) 78.4 (218) <.001n .679 .656 .734 .365 <.001o .813 .872 .717
Attract a partner 21.6 (60) 78.4 (218) .379 .004p .271 .236 .262 .781 .002q .027 .342
To live longer 11.1 (31) 88.9 (247) .989 .064 .454 .742 .463 .285 .243 .100 .405
Improve sleeping patterns 6.8 (19) 93.2 (259) .215 .100 .562 .166 .037 .082 .770 .103 .227
Social influences (e.g., because your partner, family, or friends are active) 6.5 (18) 93.5 (260) .522 .379 .394 .816 .875 .984 .367 .052 .334
Expectations to exercise 2.2 (6) 97.8 (272) .081 .846 .516 .918 .010 .005r .551 .169 .272

Note. BMI = body mass index; highest qual = highest qualification level; employ = employment level, PA = physical activity level; Alc = alcohol use; stress = symptoms of stress; fruit & veg = fruit and vegetable intake. χ2 Tests were used for examining differences between motivations for healthy eating and physical activity and subgroups. p < .01 Indicates statistical significance. Motivators to healthy eating (survey completers: n = 282; completers after removal of anomalous results: n = 277; age group: n = 277; BMI category: n = 270; marital status: n = 277; highest qualification level: n = 277; income: n = 265; employment: n = 277; physical activity level: n = 271; alcohol level: n = 277; stress level: n = 277; fruit and vegetables intake: n = 277). Motivators to physical activity (survey completers: n = 282; completers after removal of anomalous results: n = 278; age group: n = 278; BMI category: n = 271; marital status: n = 278; highest qualification level: n = 278; income: n = 267; employment: n = 278; physical activity level: n = 271; alcohol level: n = 278; stress level: n = 278; fruit and vegetables intake: n = 278).

a

Recruitment dates from online survey: July 6 to September 27, 2015. bTo classify as “key motivator,” we calculated the percentage of those either ranking the motivator as first, second, or third main motivator. cMeeting PA recommendations: 36.4% ranked as key motivator vs. Not meeting PA recommendations: 17.9% ranked as key motivator. d“None/little/to some extent” stress symptoms: 22.7% ranked as key motivator vs. “rather much/very much”: 43.2% ranked as key motivator. eMarried/de facto: 11.5% ranked as key motivator vs. Single (never married, separated, divorced, or widowed): 31.1% ranked as key motivator. fHealthy weight: 11.7% ranked as key motivator vs. Overweight: 30.4% ranked as key motivator vs. Obese: 50.0% ranked as key motivator. g“None/little/to some extent” stress symptoms: 7.9% ranked as key motivator vs. “rather much/very much”: 21.6% ranked as key motivator. hMarried/de facto: 61.8% ranked as key motivator vs. Single (never married, separated, divorced, or widowed): 39.9% ranked as key motivator. iMeeting PA recommendations: 32.1% ranked as key motivator vs. Not meeting PA recommendations: 17.0% ranked as key motivator. jRisky drinking (>4 standard drinks on a single occasion): 15.9% ranked as key motivator vs. Nonrisky drinking (≤4 standard drinks on a single occasion): 30.3% ranked as key motivator. k“None/little/to some extent” stress symptoms: 19.2% ranked as key motivator vs. “rather much/very much”: 36.0% ranked as key motivator. lMeeting PA recommendations: 29.1% ranked as key motivator vs. Not meeting PA recommendations: 13.2% ranked as key motivator. m“None/little/to some extent” stress symptoms: 28.1% ranked as key motivator vs. “Rather much/very much”: 10.7% ranked as key motivator. nHealthy weight: 12.3% ranked as key motivator vs. Overweight: 30.9% ranked as key motivator vs. Obese: 46.4% ranked as key motivator. oMeeting PA recommendations: 14.5% ranked as key motivator vs. Not meeting PA recommendations: 33.9% ranked as key motivator. pMarried/de facto: 7.3% ranked as key motivator vs. Single (never married, separated, divorced, or widowed): 25.1% ranked as key motivator. qRisky drinking (>4 standard drinks on a single occasion): 30.2% ranked as key motivator vs. Nonrisky drinking (≤4 standard drinks on a single occasion): 14.5% ranked as key motivator. rMeeting PA recommendations: 0% ranked as key motivator vs. Not meeting PA recommendations: 4.7% ranked as key motivator.