A Study of the Decisional Balance’s Role in Exercise Status Among Yazd’s Staff on the Basis Process of Change Model

Background: According to statistical evidence put forward by WHO in 2003, lack of physical
activity is the reason for 1.9 million deaths in the world. More than 60% of adults in the world and
more than 80% of Iranian adults do not perform sufficient levels of physical activity. Despite the
great advantages of exercise a huge portion of the population of many countries do not exercise
adequately thus deprived of its benefits. Transtheoretical model is identified as a comprehensive
model for behavior change and decision balance is regarded as a fundamental structure of the
model which centers around positive and negative behavior change consequences. In this study
decision was made to check the situation of sport change process in Yazd’s staff according to
Transtheoretical Model and its relation with decision balance.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 220 subjects were recruited. The subjects
were selected through 2-stage cluster sampling-test; the instruments for data collection were a
questionnaire that consisted of two parts (demographic variables and construct of TTM. Data
analyzed by ANOVA and T-test through SPSS and P<0.05 was significant.
Results: Results of the study on 152 males (69.1%) and 68 females (30.9%) with the average age
of 34±8.68 indicated a significant relationship between pros and cons with stages of change (both
P<0.0001) and between pros with age (P=0.004). Of 220 study group 44(20%) were in precontemplation
stage, 88 (40%) in contemplation, 30(13.6%) in preparation, 16(7.3%) in action and
42(19.1%) in maintenance stage.
Conclusion: With regard to the fact that transtheoretical model has revealed a significant
relationship between decisional balance and stage of change in exercise. It is proposed that
accomplish educational class for employees, in order to increase pros and reduce cons of exercise.