What are the roles of community and social support in achieving and maintaining health and fitness goals?
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Introduction
The roles of community and social support in achieving and maintaining health and fitness goals have been widely studied. These studies explore how different forms of social support, whether from family, friends, or virtual communities, can influence health behaviors and outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of both emotional and practical support in fostering positive health changes.
Key Insights
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Positive vs. Instructive Support:
- Positive support, such as compliments and active participation, is more beneficial for weight loss maintenance compared to instructive support like verbal instructions and encouragements .
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Emotional Support:
- Emotional support significantly enhances the management of chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes by providing emotional backing, fulfilling appraisal functions, and enabling positive health behaviors .
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Public Commitment in Virtual Communities:
- Making a public commitment in virtual support communities (VSCs) enhances goal attainment by making social identities salient, which motivates compliance and effective goal pursuit .
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Social Capital and Community Participation:
- Community participation and social capital, including reciprocal trust and support, are crucial for health promotion and active aging. These elements help in building social trust and tackling loneliness, thereby improving public health and well-being .
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Structural vs. Functional Support:
- Functional support, which is the perception of support, shows a stronger correlation with health outcomes compared to structural support, which is the availability of support-givers .
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Role of Social Media:
- Social media-enabled patient communities provide a platform for emotional support, which increases the likelihood of achieving health goals. Informational support, however, does not appear to be as effective .
Conclusion
Community and social support play critical roles in achieving and maintaining health and fitness goals. Positive and emotional support are particularly effective, while public commitment in virtual communities can significantly enhance goal attainment. Community participation and social capital are also essential for promoting health and well-being. Overall, the perception of support (functional support) is more impactful on health outcomes than merely the availability of support (structural support).
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