Objective:

This study aimed to analyze the perception of enjoyment in different age groups, namely among young people, adults and elderly. In addition, we analyzed the predictive validity of enjoyment as a predictor of intentions to continue physical activity and as a consequence of intrinsic motivation.

Methods:

A total of 425 Portuguese individuals practicing regular physical activity participated in this study. All participants completed the online questionnaire considering all the variables under analysis.

Results:

Results showed that the measurement model was invariant among the age groups. As theoretically proposed, enjoyment showed to be a significant predictor of intention and a consequence of higher levels of intrinsic motivation.

Conclusion:

The scale used to measure the perception of enjoyment proves to be a reliable instrument, which is equivalent for both young people, adults and elderly. Enjoyment should be measured and considered as a key variable in the analysis of physical activity levels reported by individuals in different age groups.