As it stands, less than 10 percent of Americans engage in regular physical activity (Foreyt, p61S). Physicians and licensed trainers alike, are qualified to tailor-make exercise prescriptions for an individuals needs and goals. For this reason, facilities often have multiple trainers (even a doctor) on staff. In "Letters to the Editors" in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, three doctors wrote in saying, "It is our responsibility to shift current attitudes about weight management toward a solid evaluation of health risk."(735) Overweight individuals have a greater risk for hypertension, heart disease, osteoarthritis, infertility, and even premature mortality. In educating people about the risks involved with overeating and inactivity, the internal motivation factor may increase. .
Since the late 1980's, physical environment (domestic appliances, building, location) has been evaluated as to whether it "provides opportunities that are accessible, convenient, safe and appealing."(Donovan, p1794) Ajzen, one of the creators of the expectancy-value models suggested that people are "more motivated to perform behaviours they believe will result in highly valued outcomes" but then added perceived behavioural control (belief of how easy or difficult an activity is) to the equation (1794). .
Many factors contribute to the detriment or encouragement of exercise in diverse populations. Spatial access, the availability of the facility, is one of the leading physical environmental factors. By determining the effect of spatial access on physical activity levels, ideal facility location can be established. Studies have shown that facilities close to the workplace are found to be unpopular among most adults. Locations near the home that are on regularly traveled routes are most widely preferred. This factor directly ties into trip distance to recreational facilities. In this instance, the research shows that exercise intensity is inversely proportional to distance.
