@article{Badicu_Gatterer_Balint_Burtscher_2018, title={The effects of weekly motivational phone calls on the amount of leisure sports activities and changes in physical fitness}, volume={22}, url={https://sportpedagogy.org.ua/index.php/PPS/article/view/959}, DOI={10.15561/18189172.2018.0501}, abstractNote={Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether motivational weekly phone calls are able to promote overall and/or leisure physical activity levels and fitness in an urban population of Romania. Material: Sixty-five adult subjects (30 males and 35 females) were randomly selected and followed over the 8-month study period. Total physical activity and changes in body mass and body mass index (kg/m2) were recorded on a monthly basis. Fitness level was assessed by the participants themselves using three standardized motor tests: push-up test, 1-minute sit-up test and 3-minute step test. Results: The intervention resulted in an increase of physical activity level by approximately 70% in males and females aged 25-39 years. In those aged 40-49 years physical activity levels were enhanced by 77% in males and 18% in females. These changes were associated with improvements (25-31%; p < 0.01) in fitness levels. Changes in physical activity over the 8-month intervention period were negatively correlated with body mass index (r = - 0.721, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that motivation by regular phone calls was highly effective in increasing leisure sports activities and improving fitness levels in young and middle-aged adults of both sexes.}, number={5}, journal={Pedagogics, psychology, medical-biological problems of physical training and sports}, author={Badicu, G. and Gatterer, H. and Balint, L. and Burtscher, M.}, year={2018}, month={Sep.}, pages={226–230} }