Health enhancing physical activity as perceived in interviews based on thetheory of planned behaviour

The perception of behaviours from two categories of health enhancing physic al activity (HEPA): outdoor aerobic exercise (OAE) and everyday commuting a ctivity (ECA) was examined in a sample of middle-aged persons (N = 50). A f ocused semi-standardised interview was constructed on the bases of the comp onents of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The participants perceived OAE behaviours predominantly from the viewpoint of exercise and those of t he ECA from that of the fluency of daily routines. They considered the OAE as sensible and associated it with positive health or fitness outcomes, but only those practising it also attributed positive psychological effects to OAE behaviours. A slightly better congruence with the TPB was found for th e OAE behaviours than for those of the ECA. The difference is discussed in the light of the higher degree of decisional control with the OAE behaviour s and the greater psychological heterogeneity of the ECA.