DIFFERENCES IN CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN JAPANESE WALKERS AND SPORT PARTICIPANTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of Japanese walkers through a comparison with sports participants' individual factors and demographics. A survey was conducted by questionnaires mailed out to 1535 Japanese adults, of whom 1047 persons replied, and 649 were used in the analysis. The results of a logistic regression analysis showed that the model chi-square was 242.92 (d.f.= 12, p<0.001), and that the individual factors and demographics included in this study classified 86.1 percent of the subjects correctly. The odds ratios of `attitude toward physical education', `sport experience in adulthood', `motives for sport', `sex', and `age group' were significant. It is shown that people who have been regarded as not participating in sport, such as those with a negative attitude toward physical education, people inactive in adulthood, females and the elderly, have begun to walk for exercise. This tendency seems to be related to the specific characteristics of walking, which do not restrain an inactive person's participation in physical activity, and to be promoted by a health-oriented awareness.