Additionally, health reasons were more valued by
university students with overweight. Those with a BMI > 30
kg/m2 reported they were more motivated to exercise due to
factors associated with disease prevention and health
rehabilitation than others with a BMI < 25 kg/m2. These
findings show that obese students have a clear perception
of the risks of excess weight to health and, consequently,
they can adhere to exercise motivated by this context. In
contrast, types of behavior regulated by the intrinsic
dimensions of motivation, represented by factors associated
with stress management, leisure/well-being and affiliation,
were more significant motivational agents for university
students with a normal weight to exercise than others with
overweight or obesity. The findings of this study can be
interpreted in the light of the self-determination theory (Deci
& Ryan, 1985; Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2008). In this case,
when intrinsically motivated, it seems that physically active
individuals tend to become involved with exercise for the
pleasure and satisfaction inherent in their own practice, when
in fact this practice meets their psychological needs for
autonomy, competence and self-realization. When extrinsically
motivated, individuals seek to become involved with exercise primarily to meet the externally imposed demands
or to obtain rewards that are attributed through their practice.
Thus, different motivational approaches can lead to distinct
cognitive, emotional and behavioral consequences.