Personal Determinants of Leisure-Time Exercise Activities

This study investigated the importance of personal determinants such as self-efficacy, beliefs about the contribution of exercise, health locus of control, and dispositional optimism for leisure-time exercise in a working population. The main predictors of such exercise were beliefs and self-efficacy with the generalization of the latter to eat correctly. Beliefs and efficacy expectations were highly correlated. Neither health locus of control nor dispositional optimism was related to leisure-time exercise; however, optimism was related to the positive belief that exercise contributes to health. Ramifications of the findings were carefully described.