Social Cognitive Factors Associated With Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity In Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Osteoporosis (OP) may be prevented through weight-bearing, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which is important for peri- and postmenopausal women who are at risk for OP. However, most women do not participate in activity according to guidelines, which can negatively impact bone health. A better understanding of factors that influence MVPA may inform physical activity interventions aiming to prevent OP. PURPOSE: To utilize social cognitive theory (SCT) to understand the associations between social cognitive factors and MVPA among peri- and postmenopausal women. METHODS: Eighty-seven peri- and postmenopausal women (43-65 years) completed demographic and SCT questionnaires. Task self-efficacy (SEt), barrier self-efficacy (SEb), perceived social support from friends (SSfr) and family (SSfa), and perceived access to facilities (ACf) and home equipment (ACh) were assessed. Participants wore an NL-1000 pedometer for one week to assess total steps per day and minutes spent in MVPA. Past year MVPA, past week leisure MVPA, and past week occupational MVPA were assessed with the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire. Stepwise regression and moderation-mediation analyses were used to identify the direct and indirect relationships between SCT variables and each physical activity outcome. Age, income, BMI, and highest level of education were controlled for in all analyses. RESULTS: Regression analyses revealed that for steps per day and MVPA minutes per day, 32% and 26% of the variance in activity was explained. For past year MVPA, past week leisure MVPA, and occupational MVPA, 39%, 26%, and 27% of the variance in activity was explained, respectively. SEb consistently emerged as the most prominent factor in the models. Moderation analyses revealed a three way interaction effect between SEb, SSfr, and ACf for steps per day (p = 0.05), and two-way interaction effects between SEb and SSfr for past year MVPA (p = 0.05) and past week leisure MVPA (p = 0.01). Mediation analysis indicated SSFA confounded the relationship between SEb and past year MVPA (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Social cognitive factors are directly and indirectly associated with MVPA in peri- and postmenopausal women. These relationships should be considered when aiming to develop physical activity interventions for OP prevention in these groups.