Running prevalence in Portugal: Socio-demographic, behavioral and psychosocial characteristics

PLoS One. 2021 Jan 22;16(1):e0245242. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245242. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally estimate the prevalence of recreational running in Portugal and describe characteristics of adult recreational runners. A random representative sample of 1068 Portuguese adults was selected. Socio-demographic information, physical activity habits and running behavior were assessed. Recreational runners' training habits, motivations, barriers, vitality and flow were also assessed. The prevalence of recreational running in Portugal was 10.6%. It was higher in men (14.6% vs. 6.6%, p = .024) and in younger runners (13.6% vs. 7.7%, p = .026). Participants ran on average 3 times, 20 kilometers and 3 hours per week. General health orientation (88%), self-esteem (63%), and life meaning (57%) were the most predominant motives for running, while time was the most prevalent barrier (43%). This first Portuguese running prevalence representative study, indicates that almost 11% of adults ran regularly, and describes correlates of running, which can inform future running promotion interventions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Demography
  • Exercise / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Portugal
  • Quality of Life*
  • Running / psychology*
  • Running / statistics & numerical data
  • Self Efficacy*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was partly supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, under Grant UIDB/00447/2020 to CIPER - Centro Interdisciplinar para o Estudo da Performance Humana (unit 447) and Universidade de Lisboa under PhD. grant conceded to Hugo V. Pereira. Marta M. Marques is funded by a Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship (Co-fund EDGE programme, grant agreement no. 713567). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.