Identificação das barreiras percebidas para a prática de exercícios físicos por participantes de um programa de extensão universitária

Abstract

The effects of the aging process cause physiological, psychological, and social changes, impacting the quality of life of older adults. Physical activity (PA), in turn, is considered a strategy that can minimize the deleterious effects of aging on the body. Therefore, it is essential to identify the barriers that hinder the practice of physical exercises by older adults. In this context, the objective of this study was to identify the perceived barriers to PA practice among participants of a university extension program. This study was conducted with individuals attending a university extension program called the Open University for Seniors of the Federal University of Alagoas – UnATI-UFAL, which offers gymnastics classes. This is an observational, cross-sectional study comprising 17 women and 4 men with an average age of 69 years. Results: Intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to PA practice were identified among the participants. The most cited barriers were: the need for rest before engaging in PA (95%); already being active enough for PA (90%); being too shy to engage in PA (76%); fear of falling (71%); and lack of company to engage in PA (57%); lack of time for PA (67%); lack of safety (52%) and facilities (43%) in environments for PA; bad weather (52%) for PA; lack of money for PA (43%); and urinary incontinence affecting PA (43%). Conclusion: Although this group is part of an extension project that offers physical exercises, it is still necessary to overcome and address various barriers, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, such as the "need for rest" (95%) and "lack of time" (67%). Nevertheless, physical exercise is essential for this population. Developing public policies to reduce barriers to physical exercise practice is of utmost importance.