The gap between knowledge and the ability to apply it: the case of adult Jewish-Israeli physical activity

This article has three goals: to examine whether any changes occurred in leisure time exercise patterns in the adult Jewish Israeli population between 2007 and 2012; to identify the barriers that prevented adult Israelis from exercising and what changes if any occurred in the barriers; and to examine the relationship between frequency of exercise and barriers to exercise during the six-year period under study. By way of exploring these issues, a survey of the target population was carried out in each year of the researched period with a combined sample of 3000 participants. Results reveal an increase in physical activity after 2009, and a sharp decline among those who were sedentary. To remedy this situation, the article proposes the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), which provides the explanation for overcoming the gap between intentions and actions of adherence.