FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ADOPTION AND ADHERENCE TO A 12 MONTHS PHYSICAL EXERCISE PROTOCOL

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze factors associated with the adoption and adherence of a 12-month exercise program. One hundred volunteers (55 women and 45 men) with an average age of 34.03±9.01 years took part in a 12-month exercise protocol. The volunteers were divided into Supervised (SUP) and Non-Supervised (NSUP) groups. In total, 76% did not complete the protocol, with only 24% completing it. There was a higher dropout rate near the fourth and eighth months of training, with stabilization in the retention rate between the fifth and sixth months of training. Regardless of the group, there was an improvement in V̇O2peak (ml.kg-1.min-1) (SUP pre = 33.19±7.44, post = 34.64±7.50; NSUP pre = 37.07±8.09, post = 38.30±8.06, p = 0.01) and in the one-repetition maximum test for all evaluated exercises (p = 0.01). Age was a factor associated with volunteers adherence to the one-year exercise program (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.93-0.99, p < 0.01), and participants' preference for the characteristics of the offered exercise groups (SUP or NSUP) did not influence individuals' adherence to the exercise program, which did not compromise the physiological gains in aerobic capacity and maximum strength inherent to training in both evaluated groups.