The factors affecting adherence to physical activity in fitness facility settings: a narrative review

Introduction: Given that fitness facilities such as gyms, fitness clubs, and health clubs play an important role in the current era and they have the ability to offer opportunities for daily physical activity and leisure sports to many people, it is important to examine the factors that affect their members in adhering to consistent long- term physical activity.

Purpose: This study examines the factors that influence adherence to physical activity in the long term among members of various fitness facilities settings through a narrative review.

Material and methods: A search for studies and articles relating to adopting and maintaining regular physical activity in fitness facility settings was conducted using four electronic databases (EBSCO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Search criteria included terms related to fitness facilities, physical activity, and adherence. Only academic articles that were peer-reviewed and published in academic journals were included.

Results: A total of 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. The main factors affecting consistency and adherence to exercise at the fitness facilities were: social context, habit and past behavior, professional support, and personal characteristics. Motives and barriers also had an effect on the individual’s abilities to maintain the physical activity level.

Conclusion: The current review suggests that success in persevering and adhering to long-term physical activity within the fitness facility setting depends on a number of factors, the most significant being support from friends and family, professional support from fitness professionals, habit formation, and fulfillment of basic psychological needs.