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V. Conclusion
Levels of physical activity and frequency of exercise are insufficient across the globe, with levels generally decreasing as GDP improves. Taiwan is no exception to this trend and shows insufficient levels of physical activity and exercise across the population with many studies highlighting worryingly low levels of physical activity among young people. In order to further understand the problem of low exercise and physical activity rates in Taiwan it was necessary to investigate Taiwanese perceptions of the benefits and barriers to exercise as well as the early influences young people may have towards exercise that could go on to shape their habits as adults. A survey was conducted with 223 participants from Taiwan and 32 other countries, each responding to items based on the Exercise Benefits/Barriers scale as well as items related to early influences on exercise in order to further our understanding of Taiwanese and non-Taiwanese attitudes and relationship towards exercise and physical activity.
Among both groups, non-Taiwanese and Taiwanese, the benefits of exercise were perceived highly. Similar to Grubbs & Carter (2002) and Lovell et al. (2010), the benefits to exercise that were perceived most strongly by the participants were related to physical performance and appearance. Psychological benefits and social benefits to exercise were also perceived strongly by both parties. There was one benefit, ‘Exercise strengthens my friendship with others’, which was perceived to be significantly higher among Taiwanese adults than non-Taiwanese. It’s rare for the social benefits of exercise to be the most highly perceived, but in Barfield and Malone (2013), a study on the benefits and barriers to exercise among wheelchair soccer players, ‘Exercising lets me have contact with friends and persons I enjoy’ was perceived to be the highest benefit among participants. Although the circumstances of the participants in that study are far different from this one, they do highlight the idea that exercise, or at least certain forms of it, can provide a vital path to connect and socialize with others,
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especially those with similar circumstances or interests. Individuals can find it difficult to make friends or connect with people in other areas of everyday life. Perhaps Taiwanese adults are, in a sense, more perceptive of this than non-Taiwanese adults.
Barriers to exercise among both groups were perceived from low to moderate. In spite of lower rates of exercise among Taiwanese adults, they were less likely to perceive barriers to exercise. This contrasts with previous studies’ hypothesis that lower perceived barriers should correlate with higher exercise rates. However, in Lovell et al. (2010) although the participants were all self-reported non-exercising females, they perceived significantly higher perceived benefits than barriers to exercise.
Low motivation and tiredness were found to be the biggest barriers among non-Taiwanese adults which is consistent with previous benefits and barriers studies (Brown et al., 2006; Lovell et al., 2010; Sechrist et al., 1987). However, bad weather was the highest barrier perceived among Taiwanese individuals, significantly higher than for non-Taiwanese. This could be due to Taiwan’s hot and humid sub-tropical climate. Summers are long and temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius; feeling even hotter due to the humidity. The island receives high levels of rainfall, and experiences several typhoons each year. Therefore, it can be understood that Taiwan’s climate does not always lend itself to regular outdoor exercise opportunities. Although Taiwanese people did not perceive a lack of facilities as a major barrier to exercise, perhaps greater accessibility and further development of more indoor facilities could allow Taiwanese people better opportunities to exercise in spite of challenging weather conditions.
The largest differences in barriers between the two groups were ‘My friends don’t encourage me to exercise’, ‘I feel self-conscious when I exercise’, and ‘My family members don’t encourage me to exercise’. The strength of disagreement to these statements was
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considerably higher among Taiwanese adults than non-Taiwanese adults. Similar to the higher perceived benefit ‘Exercise strengthens my friendship with others’, it appears that Taiwanese adults, especially women, consider their support systems among friends and family to be strong when it comes to exercise. It can be concluded from these responses that Taiwanese people feel that both their friends and family do encourage them to exercise, perhaps even more so than for non-Taiwanese adults. Or perhaps, Taiwanese adults are less likely to speak negatively about their friends or family. Yu and Bairnier’s (2011) mention of xiaodao highlights the loyalty of Taiwanese children to their parents. Although, it would be unfair to dismiss this response as loyalty rather than genuine disagreement with the statement. Families in Taiwan are often very close, with several generations often living under one roof, thus support from family is likely to be a major influence in many aspects of an individual’s life. Taiwanese also seem more likely to disagree with the idea that their friends would not encourage them to exercise. This furthers the idea that Taiwanese are more inclined to see exercise as a method of strengthening bonds between friends than many non-Taiwanese.
Taiwanese people were far more likely to disagree with ‘I feel self-conscious when I exercise’ than non-Taiwanese adults. Although both groups generally disagreed with the statement, it is interesting that Taiwanese men and women would so adamantly disagree with this statement as it counters stereotypes of Taiwanese people being shy.
Although both groups tended to be quite positive about their early influences to exercise, Taiwanese adults significantly reported to feeling that they had less free time to play and had spent more time in after-school classes than non-Taiwanese adults, especially Taiwanese women. This is consistent with the literature review that Taiwanese children spend far more time in school than children from most other countries, and that schoolwork and the heavy emphasis on education can reduce the amount of opportunities Taiwanese children get to exercise and play. According to Côté and Hancock (2015), high amounts of deliberate play are
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crucial for children to develop their intrinsic motivation as well as motor and cognitive skills.
Time for deliberate play is a key instrument in ensuring that children will go on to develop regular exercise habits as they get older. Although feeling as though they had less free time growing up, there were no significant differences between non-Taiwanese and Taiwanese for several items related to school and parenting. In the literature review it was suggested that parents were far more focused on their children’s education than their exercise habits. However, Taiwanese adults were just as likely to agree that their parents encouraged them to exercise growing up as non-Taiwanese students. Non-Taiwanese adults were also as likely to agree that their parents prioritised academic success over exercise as Taiwanese adults. There were no significant differences between current students either. For both non-Taiwanese and Taiwanese students, when asked if school work gets in the way of their exercise, both groups similarly agreed and were, more or less, ambivalent on this item. Despite assertions (Yu & Bairner, 2011;
Wang et al., 2012) that Taiwanese schools sometimes sacrifice PE classes from exam-based classes and are more concerned with academic grades, Taiwanese adults were still as likely to agree with non-Taiwanese adults that, growing up, their schools encouraged playing sport and exercising, and that there were many different sports they could play.
Overall this paper has found that perceptions and early influences to exercise among non-Taiwanese and Taiwanese adults are similar, although with some notable exceptions. Both groups strongly perceived the benefits of exercise, especially in improving physical performance. Perceptions of the barriers to exercise were considerably lower among both groups, especially among Taiwanese adults, in spite of lower exercise rates. Both groups considered their friends, family, schools, and overall environment to be supportive and facilitating in their efforts to exercise. However, Taiwanese adults appeared to have less free time to exercise and play growing up. This could be an indication as to why exercise rates among many Taiwanese are quite low, especially among women. Interestingly, the social
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aspects of exercise appear to be more salient among Taiwanese adults. They perceived the benefit of exercises ability to strengthen friendships to a stronger degree than non-Taiwanese adults. As well as this, they profoundly disagreed that that their friends and family don’t encourage them to exercise. Perhaps these findings can be useful in considering future policy development regarding exercise participation among Taiwanese children, as well as adults. It is hoped that this study can contribute to understanding Taiwanese perceptions and relationships with exercise and physical activity.
Several limitations of this study must be acknowledged. Although the data obtained from the survey is useful, it does not have the accuracy of administrative or big data. Self-reported measures have been found to be inconsistent in assessing physical activity (Prince et al. 2008), while social desirability bias can lead individuals to exaggerate, perhaps in this case by claiming to exercise more or perceiving fewer barrier to exercise. Likert scale data is similarly capricious. It’s difficult to gauge emotion accurately on a 5-point scale. A random sample would also lead to more reliable results. The sample for this study was largely obtained through social media and most participants are directly or indirectly connected in some way to the author. In order to learn more about early influences it would be better to accurately track the time spent by young people in school, doing homework, or playing in order to assess what is most frequently stopping them from exercising. Qualitative data obtained via interviews with young Taiwanese people as well as parents would give a better indication of what people feel are the main influences, benefits, and barriers to exercise according to Taiwanese people. In spite of its limitations, it is hoped that this study can provide useful information for future research.
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請問您的性別認同為何？ What gender do you identify as?
女性/Female 男性/Male 不願透露/Prefer not to say
請問您在哪裡長大？（請寫出 a.城市/地區及 b.國家） Where did you grow up? (Please write (a) City/Region and (b) Country)
請問您現在的居住地為何？（請寫出 a.城市/地區及 b.國家） Where do you live now? (Please write (a) City/Region and (b) Country)
以下何者最貼近您的現況？ Which of the following best describes your current status?
大學生/Undergraduate Student
若您有運動習慣，您最常做的運動是什麼？What kind of sport or exercise, if any, do you most participate in?
平均而言，您一週運動幾次？ On average, how often do you exercise each week?
每週 4 次以上/More than 4 times perweek 每週 3 到 4 次/3 or 4 times per week 每週 1 到 2 次/Once or twice per week 我極少運動/I rarely exercise 我沒有運動的習慣/I don't exercise
您在高中或大學時期有練習任何體育項目嗎？ Did you play any sports in High School or College?
若有，運動項目為何？ If yes, what did you play?
您喜歡看電視即時轉播的體育賽事嗎？ Do you enjoy watching live sports on TV?
是/Yes 否/No
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運動的好處和實踐之困難量表 Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale
請閱讀以下的描述，並根據您自身的經驗，從非常不同意（1）到非常同意（5），選出最符合 的答案。
Please read the following statements regarding your own experience of exercise and sport. Select the answers which you feel apply to you on a 5-point scale from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.
運動讓我有成就感。 Exercise gives me a sense of personal accomplishment.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree 天氣不好使我打消運動的念頭。 Bad weather prevents me from exercising.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree for exercise. (Answer only if you are a student.)
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree
因為工作的關係，我沒有時間運動。（僅限上班族填答） Due to my job, I don’t have time for exercise. (Answer only if you are working)
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree 成長過程中，我有許多空閒時間可以玩耍。Growing up, I had lots of free time to play.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree 我有興趣的運動太花錢了。 Exercise I'm interested in is too expensive.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree
成長過程中，我大部分時間都花在上補習課程（如補習班、才藝課等），而沒有時間玩耍或運 動. Growing up, time spent in remedial education classes (Ex: Buxibans, Cram Schools, After-school classes) prevented me from playing and exercising.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree
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運動能改善我的身材體態。 Exercise improves the way my body looks.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree 運動讓我很疲憊。 Exercise tires me.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意 /Strongly Agree 缺乏動力使我打消運動的念頭。 Lack of motivation prevents me from exercising.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree
因為社會和家庭責任的關係，我沒有時間運動。 Due to social and family responsibilities, I don’t have time for exercise .
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree 運動不好玩。 Exercise is not fun.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意 /Strongly Agree 運動能促進我的身體健康。 Exercising increases my level of physical fitness.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree 運動的時候我總感覺很不自在。 I feel self-conscious when I exercise.
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree
非常不同意/Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 非常同意/Strongly Agree