The Relationship Between Motivation for Physical Activity, Physical Activity Level, and Body Mass Index for University Students
Abstract
1. Introduction
- O1.
- A detailed exploration of how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation influences the levels of physical activity and health of the male and female groups;
- O2.
- The combination of the assessment of the motivational parameters (RM 4-FM), BMI, and PAI in an integrated perspective;
- O3.
- As students are a vulnerable group to the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, the research provides relevant information for the motivation for physical activity corroborated to BMI and PAI.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Design of the Research
2.2. Participants
2.3. Measurements
RM 4-FM: Motivation for Physical Activity and Exercise [42]
- External Regulation: Motivation is guided by external factors, such as rewards, social approval, or pressure exercised by peers; associated items: 2, 7, 11, 14.
- Introjected Regulation: Reflects internal pressure, such as guilt or the desire to avoid disapproval; associated items: 1, 4, 6, 13.
- Identified Regulation: Motivation is associated with the recognition of the personal value of the physical activity; associated items: 5, 9, 12, 16.
- Intrinsic Motivation: Physical activity is conducted for self-satisfaction and well-being; associated items: 3, 8, 10, 15.
- External Regulation: Refers to external factors of motivation (desire to win other’s approval or fear of criticism); associated items: 5, 7, 12.
- Introjected Regulation: Highlights internal pressures (guilt or fear of criticism); associated items: 3, 6, 9.
- Identified Regulation: Based on the recognition of the value of physical activity (health or personal objectives); associated items: 2, 8, 10.
- Intrinsic Motivation: Physical activity for well-being or personal satisfaction, considered the most sustainable form of motivation; associated items: 1, 4, 11.
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
- Part 1. RM 4-FM: Motivation for Physical Activity (Table 3)
- Part 2. RM 4-FM: Motivation for Exercise/Workout (Table 3)
4. Discussion
4.1. The Limitations of the Study
4.2. The Practical Implications
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | Group | X | SD | ∆X | t | p | 95% CI | Effect Size | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower | Upper | ||||||||
Age | Female | 19.598 | 1.692 | −0.819 | −4.074 | <0.001 | −1.214 | −0.424 | −0.290 |
Male | 20.417 | 3.892 | |||||||
Residence | Female | 1.359 | 0.480 | 0.032 | 0.973 | 0.331 | −0.033 | 0.099 | 0.070 |
Male | 1.326 | 0.469 | |||||||
BMI | Female | 21.690 | 3.406 | −1.559 | −6.207 | <0.001 | −2.052 | −1.066 | −0.582 |
Male | 23.250 | 3.703 |
Variable | Group | X | SD | ∆X | t | p | 95% CI | Effect Size | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower | Upper | ||||||||
Physical Activity Index (PAI) | Female | 36.668 | 23.922 | −16.814 | −9.181 | <0.001 | −20.409 | −13.219 | −0.796 |
Male | 53.482 | 28.114 |
Subscale RM 4-FM | Subscale | Group | X | SD | ∆X | t | p | 95% CI | Effect Size | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower | Upper | |||||||||
Part 1. RM 4-FM: Motivation for physical activity | External regulation | Female | 2.409 | 1.169 | −0.199 | −2.357 | 0.019 | −0.365 | −0.033 | −0.168 |
Male | 2.608 | 1.217 | ||||||||
Introjected Regulation | Female | 3.774 | 1.387 | −0.468 | −4.609 | <0.001 | −0.668 | −0.269 | −0.328 | |
Male | 4.243 | 1.488 | ||||||||
Identified Regulation | Female | 5.242 | 1.378 | −0.024 | −0.270 | 0.787 | −0.321 | 0.021 | −0.119 | |
Male | 5.267 | 1.097 | ||||||||
Intrinsic Motivation | Female | 4.866 | 1.230 | −0.150 | −1.718 | 0.086 | −0.321 | 0.021 | −0.262 | |
Male | 5.016 | 1.229 | ||||||||
RAI | Female | 6.274 | 3.738 | 2.499 | 10.039 | <0.001 | 2.010 | 2.981 | 0.714 | |
Male | 3.775 | 3.140 | ||||||||
Part 2. RM 4-FM: Motivation for exercise/workout | External regulation | Female | 4.624 | 1.606 | 0.231 | 2.065 | 0.039 | 0.011 | 0.450 | −0.108 |
Male | 4.393 | 1.525 | ||||||||
Introjected Regulation | Female | 3.651 | 1.317 | 0.204 | 2.184 | 0.029 | 0.020 | 0.388 | −0.184 | |
Male | 3.446 | 1.319 | ||||||||
Identified Regulation | Female | 5.113 | 1.469 | 0.343 | 3.280 | <0.001 | 0.137 | 0.549 | −0.164 | |
Male | 4.769 | 1.478 | ||||||||
Intrinsic Motivation | Female | 5.050 | 1.516 | 0.433 | 3.967 | <0.001 | 0.218 | 0.647 | −0.101 | |
Male | 4.617 | 1.561 | ||||||||
RAI | Female | 2.336 | 4.251 | 0.601 | 2.056 | 0.040 | 0.0027 | 1.174 | 0.572 | |
Male | 4.624 | 1.606 |
Subscale RM 4-FM | Group | Age | R | BMI | PAI | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 1. RM 4-FM: Motivation for physical activity | External Regulation | Female | −0.039 | 0.050 | 0.043 | 0.054 |
Male | −0.011 | 0.044 | −0.031 | −0.024 | ||
Introjected Regulation | Female | 0.008 | 0.013 | −0.006 | 0.235 ** | |
Male | −0.024 | 0.020 | −0.039 | −0.054 | ||
Identified Regulation | Female | 0.078 | −0.088 | −0.059 | 0.429 ** | |
Male | −0.045 | −0.002 | −0.038 | −0.042 | ||
Intrinsic Motivation | Female | 0.062 | −0.098 * | −0.060 | 0.373 ** | |
Male | −0.038 | 0.021 | −0.037 | −0.068 | ||
RAI | Female | 0.094 * | −0.126 ** | −0.092 * | 0.227 ** | |
Male | −0.028 | −0.022 | −0.011 | −0.031 | ||
Part 2. RM 4-FM: Motivation for exercise/workout | External Regulation | Female | 0.050 | 0.028 | 0.044 | −0.087 |
Male | −0.082 | 0.051 | −0.060 | 0.067 | ||
Introjected Regulation | Female | −0.031 | 0.009 | 0.011 | −0.082 | |
Male | 0.011 | 0.023 | −0.050 | 0.008 | ||
Identified Regulation | Female | −0.026 | −0.010 | 0.063 | −0.065 | |
Male | −0.041 | −0.003 | −0.073 | 0.042 | ||
Intrinsic Motivation | Female | 0.008 | 0.003 | 0.056 | −0.103 | |
Male | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.045 | −0.086 | ||
RAI | Female | 0.003 | −0.029 | −0.003 | −0.014 | |
Male | −0.035 | −0.019 | 0.013 | −0.004 |
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Alecu, S.; Onea, G.A.; Badau, D. The Relationship Between Motivation for Physical Activity, Physical Activity Level, and Body Mass Index for University Students. Sports 2025, 13, 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040096
Alecu S, Onea GA, Badau D. The Relationship Between Motivation for Physical Activity, Physical Activity Level, and Body Mass Index for University Students. Sports. 2025; 13(4):96. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040096
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlecu, Stefan, Gheorghe Adrian Onea, and Dana Badau. 2025. "The Relationship Between Motivation for Physical Activity, Physical Activity Level, and Body Mass Index for University Students" Sports 13, no. 4: 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040096
APA StyleAlecu, S., Onea, G. A., & Badau, D. (2025). The Relationship Between Motivation for Physical Activity, Physical Activity Level, and Body Mass Index for University Students. Sports, 13(4), 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040096