Abstract
PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the current attitudes, beliefs, confidence and knowledge of students in health-related fields with regard to physical activity (PA) promotion, and to measure changes in these variables following an evidence-based PA education intervention. METHODS: A single group pre-post test design was used to explore the impact of the intervention on changes in attitudes, beliefs, confidence, and knowledge about PA counselling and beliefs about obesity. The pre-post questionnaires contained measures of barriers to PA counselling and participants' attitudes, beliefs, confidence, and knowledge about PA counselling and obesity. RESULTS: Findings demonstrated that the PA intervention increased participants' attitudes (Mchange = 0.15, p = .031), beliefs (Mchange = 0.35, p = .002), and knowledge (Mchange = 0.27, p = .001) with regard to PA counselling, and negatively impacted obesity-related beliefs (Mchange = -1.92, p = .029). Significant increases in participants' confidence to perform counselling based on personal knowledge (Mchange = 7.71, p = .001), confidence to assess a client's readiness for PA (Mchange = 6.96, p = .032), and confidence to refer patients requiring additional clearance or information were also observed (Mchange = 11.25, p = .001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a one-hour PA intervention can be effective in improving the attitudes, beliefs, confidence and knowledge of students in health-related fields with regard to PA promotion, but that more attention needs to be given to how PA is framed within obesity discourse.Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank Dr. Kevin Power of Memorial University for his assistance during the preparation of the evidence-based PA education intervention, as well as Dr. Jonathon Fowles of Acadia University and Exercise is Medicine Canada for his guidance and support in the development of this project.