Negative emotions can prove to be a stronger deterrent to putting on women's gym wear and visiting a health club for exercise than the facts, research suggests.

Researchers at George Washington University Medical Center surveyed more than 1,500 individuals, over half of whom were overweight.

The findings indicate that overweight individuals have entirely different attitudes about working out in the gym than people of a normal weight.

Embarrassment, intimidation about exercise around young and fit people in particular and a fear of health club salespeople are larger deterrents among overweight people than normal weight individuals.

The authors state: "This similarity in overall attitude of the overweight and normal weight to club exercise is somewhat surprising, in that it is often assumed that overweight people do not exercise as much as normal weight people because the two groups have different attitudes about exercise."

Meanwhile, recent research by the University of Texas at Austin indicated that commitment to a long-term fitness plan, such as regular gym workouts, can change people's attitude to food temptations.

Posted by Sue Wallis ADNFCR-2569-ID-19521440-ADNFCR

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