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The article focuses on the challenges of promoting regular physical activity despite its well-established health benefits. It highlights three key factors that hinder behavior change such as the high effort required over a lifetime for health benefits; the delayed and intangible nature of these benefits; and cognitive biases that lead to undervaluing physical activity. It suggests that emphasizing the pleasure derived from physical activity could be a more effective.

The use of music as an aid to recovery during and after exercise is an area of growing scientific interest. We investigated the effects of in-task, asynchronous music and respite–active music (i.e., music used for active recovery in between high-intensity exercise bouts) on a range of psychological, psychophysical and psychophysiological outcomes. Participants (N = 28; 14 females) made five laboratory visits for: (a) pre-test/familiarisation; (b) fast-tempo music during supramaximal exercise bouts and medium-tempo music during active-recovery periods; (c) fast-tempo music during exercise and no music during recovery; (d) no music during exercise and medium-tempo music during recovery; and (e) a no-music (throughout) control. A cycle ergometer-based HIIT protocol comprising 6 × 60-s bouts at 100% Wmax with 75-s active recovery was administered. Measures were taken at the end of supramaximal bouts and active recovery periods (RPE, state attention, core affect, state motivation), then upon cessation of the protocol (remembered pleasure and exercise enjoyment). Heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measures were taken throughout. The music manipulations only had an effect on state motivation, which was higher (p = 0.036) in the fast tempo–medium tempo condition compared to no-music control (Cohen's d = 0.49), and the SDNN component of HRV, which was lower (p = 0.007) in the fast-tempo–no-music condition compared to control (Cohen's d = 0.32). Collectively, the present findings do not support any of the study hypotheses regarding the music-related manipulations, and do not concur with the findings of related studies (e.g., Karageorghis et al., 2021). The unexpected results are discussed with reference to extant theory, and recommendations are offered in regard to music-related applications. • Examined in-task, asynchronous music and respite–active music in HIIT. • HIIT protocol comprised 6 × 60-s bouts at 100 % Wmax with 75-s active recovery. • Music manipulations had little bearing on dependent variables. • State motivation was higher in the fast tempo–medium tempo condition vs. control. • HRV SDNN lower in the fast tempo–no music condition vs. control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Habits, defined as well‐learned associations between cues and behaviours, are essential for health‐related behaviours, including physical activity (PA). Despite the sensitivity of habits to context changes, little remains known about the influence of a context change on the interplay between PA habits and behaviours. We investigated the evolution of PA habits amidst the spring COVID‐19 lockdown, a major context change. Moreover, we examined the association of PA behaviours and autonomous motivation with this evolution. Design: Three‐wave observational longitudinal design. Methods: PA habits, behaviours, and autonomous motivation were collected through online surveys in 283 French and Swiss participants. Variables were self‐reported with reference to three time‐points: before‐, mid‐, and end‐lockdown. Results: Mixed effect modelling revealed a decrease in PA habits from before‐ to mid‐lockdown, especially among individuals with strong before‐lockdown habits. Path analysis showed that before‐lockdown PA habits were not associated with mid‐lockdown PA behaviours (β = −.02, p =.837), while mid‐lockdown PA habits were positively related to end‐lockdown PA behaviours (β =.23, p =.021). Autonomous motivation was directly associated with PA habits (ps <.001) and withto before‐ and mid‐lockdown PA behaviours (ps <.001) (but not with end‐lockdown PA behaviours) and did not moderate the relations between PA behaviours and habits (ps >.072). Conclusion: PA habits were altered, and their influence on PA behaviours was impeded during the COVID‐19 lockdown. Engagement in PA behaviours and autonomous motivation helped in counteracting PA habits disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why people with lower levels of educational attainment have poorer mental health than people with higher levels can partly be explained by financial circumstances. However, whether behavioral factors can further explain this association remains unclear. Here, we examined the extent to which physical activity mediates the effect of education on mental health trajectories in later life. Data from 54,818 adults 50 years of age or older (55 % women) included in the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were analyzed using longitudinal mediation and growth curve models to estimate the mediating role of physical activity (baseline and change) in the association between education and mental health trajectories. Education and physical activity were self-reported. Mental health was derived from depressive symptoms and well-being, which were measured by validated scales. Lower education was associated with lower levels and steeper declines in physical activity over time, which predicted greater increases in depressive symptoms and greater decreases in well-being. In other words, education affected mental health through both levels and trajectories of physical activity. Physical activity explained 26.8 % of the variance in depressive symptoms and 24.4 % in well-being, controlling for the socioeconomic path (i.e., wealth and occupation). These results suggest that physical activity is an important factor in explaining the association between low educational attainment and poor mental health trajectories in adults aged 50 years and older. • Lower education attainment is associated with lower physical activity. • Lower physical activity is associated with greater increases in depressive symptoms. • Lower physical activity is associated with greater decreases in well-being. • Physical activity mediates the association between education and mental health. • Longitudinal, cross-national study including 54,818 adults aged 50 years and older [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of affective responses to effort in the regulation of physical activity behavior is widely accepted. Yet, to investigate these affective responses during physical activity, most studies used direct self-reported measures that are prone to biases (e.g., social desirability, ability to introspect). To reduce these biases, we used an indirect measure (i.e., an affect misattribution procedure) that assessed the implicit affective valence elicited by physical effort in 42 healthy young adults. Specifically, participants rated the pleasantness of neutral human faces presented in a virtual environment while cycling at different intensities. We used this rating as an indicator of implicit affective valence. Results showed that higher perceived effort was associated with lower pleasantness ratings of neutral faces, with this effect only emerging at moderate-to-high levels of perceived effort. Further analyses showed that higher actual effort was also associated with lower pleasantness ratings of neutral faces. Overall, these findings suggest that higher levels of perceived effort are associated with decreased affective valence during physical activity. Finally, this study presents a new indirect measure of affective valence during physical activity. • Affective mechanisms are instrumental to the regulation of physical activity. • We developed an indirect self-reported measure of affective valence during physical activity. • In this task, participants rated the pleasantness of neutral faces at different levels of effort. • Higher perceived effort was associated with lower pleasantness ratings of neutral faces. • Affective responses during physical activity can be assessed using an indirect self-report measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess whether changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour during the COVID-19 lockdown are associated with changes in mental and physical health. Observational longitudinal study. Participants living in France or Switzerland responded to online questionnaires measuring physical activity, physical and mental health, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Paired sample t-tests were used to assess differences in physical activity and sedentary behaviour before and during lockdown. Multiple linear regressions were used to investigate associations between changes in physical activity and changes in mental and physical health during lockdown. 267 (wave1) and 110 participants (wave2; 2 weeks later) were recruited. Lockdown resulted in higher time spent in walking and moderate physical activity (~10min/day) and in sedentary behaviour (~75min/day), compared to pre COVID-19. Increased physical activity during leisure time from week 2 to week 4 of lockdown was associated with improved physical health (β=.24, p=.002). Additionally, an increase in sedentary behaviour during leisure time was associated with poorer physical health (β=−.35, p=.002), mental health (β=−.25, p=.003), and subjective vitality (β=−.30, p=.004). Ensuring sufficient levels of physical activity and reducing sedentary time can play a vital role in helping people to cope with a major stressful event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their potential in improving health behaviors, such as physical activity (PA), the effectiveness of interventions targeting automatic precursors remains contrasted. We examined the effects of a single session of ABC training – a personalized consequence-based approach-avoidance training – on PA, relative to an active control condition and a control condition. Middle-aged US participants (N = 360, 53 % of women) either completed an ABC training (being instructed to approach PA to obtain self-relevant consequences), an approach-avoidance training (approaching PA in 90 % of trials), or a control training (approaching PA in 50 % of trials). Participants selected antecedents (e.g., "When I have little time") in which personalized choices between PA and sedentary alternatives were likely to occur. In the ABC training only, after approaching PA, self-relevant consequences were displayed (e.g., increase in the health status of participant's avatar). Primary outcome was self-reported PA seven days after the intervention. Secondary outcomes included choices for PA (vs sedentary) alternatives in a hypothetical free-choice task, intention, automatic and explicit attitudes toward PA. No significant effect of the ABC intervention on PA was observed, so as on intention and explicit attitudes. However, the ABC intervention was associated with higher odds of choosing PA alternatives in the free-choice task and with more positive automatic attitudes toward PA. While the ABC training was not effective at improving PA, its effects on choices and automatic attitudes suggest that this intervention may still have potential. Future studies with intensive trainings and device-based measures of PA remains needed. • The Antecedents–Behavior–Consequence training was applied to physical activity. • Automatic approach-avoidance tendencies were paired with self-relevant consequences. • This single training did not increase self-reported physical activity after 7 days. • Free choices and implicit attitudes toward physical activity were improved. • Multiple sessions of personalized consequence-based trainings should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]