Barriers to physical activity among adults in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT Background: Physical inactivity is an escalating public health concern closely linked to the rise of chronic diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the barriers to physical activity among adults in Saudi Arabia, with the intention of promptly informing and implementing targeted interventions. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey using the validated Barriers to Being Active Questionnaire was administered to 392 adults living in Saudi Arabia through social media platforms. The questionnaire assessed seven main categories, with a total score of 9 for each category. Independent samples t-test was used to analyze collected data. Results: A total of 392 participants were included in this study. Females made up 59.4%, whereas males made up 40.6% of the total participants. The great majority were Saudi nationals (84.4%). Half of the participants (49.7%) were between 18 and 30 years old. The most common residence region was Riyadh (46.2%), followed by Makkah Al Mukarramah (25.5%). The most common barriers to physical activity in a descending order were lack of willpower (4.9), lack of energy (4.5), lack of resources (4.4), and lack of time (4.2). Notably, females reported significantly higher barriers related to willpower and skills (5.2 and 2.7, respectively) compared to males (4.5 and 2.0, respectively). Moreover, participants ≥50 years old have a statistically significantly higher mean score of barriers regarding fear of injury (2.9) and lack of skills (3.4) compared to those younger than 50 years old (2.2 and 2.3, respectively). Conclusion: While our study has shed light on the barriers to physical activity among adults in Saudi Arabia, there is still much work to be done. Addressing motivational and environmental factors is crucial for increasing physical activity. Therefore, future research should focus on developing and evaluating effective interventions to promote physical activity in this population.