Abstract
BACKGROUND：A small proportion of adults, aged 25‒44 years old, exercise regularly. It is important to promote
maintaining an active lifestyle among middle-aged adults. The promotive and obstructive factors, related to exercise
habits among various populations, have been quantitatively investigated. However, there have been no studies
focusing on individuals aged 25‒44 years old. OBJECTIVE：This study qualitatively investigated the promotional
and obstructive factors, related to having and maintaining an active lifestyle among adults aged 25‒44 years old.
METHODS：Participants were recruited until theoretical saturation had been attained, such that no new promotional
and obstructive factors were extracted from three consecutive participants. Individuals in the action or contemplation
stage, based on the transtheoretical model, were included. A structural–construction qualitative research method was
to develop the concepts and categories of promotive and obstructive factors for the action and contemplation stages,
respectively. RESULTS：There were eight participants with both promotional and obstructive factors in the action
stage. Meanwhile, among those in the contemplation stage, there were eight with promotional factors and 11 with
obstructive factors. Among individuals in the action stage, nine promotional factors and 11 obstructive factors were
determined. In contrast, there were six promotive factors and 10 obstructive factors among those in the contemplation
stage. CONCLUSION：This study identified the promotive and obstructive factors, related to the initiation and
maintenance of an active lifestyle, among individuals, aged 25‒44 years old.
