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En-Gendering Choice: Preferences for Exercising in Gender-Segregated and Gender-Integrated Groups and Consideration of Overweight Status

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Abstract

Background

Understanding the contextual preferences that people have for engaging in a health-enhancing physical activity has been identified as particularly important, as these preferences have been implicated in the maintenance of active lifestyle behaviors.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study was to examine adults’ preferences for exercising in both gender-segregated and gender-integrated physical activity groups. The secondary purpose was to examine whether overweight status moderates adults’ preferences for gender-segregated groups relative to gender-integrated groups.

Method

Survey data were obtained from a representative sample of 772 adults (N males = 407; N females = 365) in a large city in the United Kingdom.

Results

Males and females reported a stronger preference for exercising with members of their own gender relative to exercising in gender-integrated groups. In addition, overweight participants were found to report an accentuated relative preference for gender-segregated groups when compared to normal weight respondents.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that both within-group gender composition and overweight status should be considered as salient contextual factors when attempting to implement successful group-based exercise programs.

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Notes

  1. Data on adults’ preferences to exercise in different age-matched groups were presented in the paper by Beauchamp et al. [7]. None of the data on gender-integrated and gender-segregated preferences that are presented in this paper were included in the paper by Beauchamp et al.

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Acknowledgements

This research project was supported by fellowships to the first author from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research [award number ST-JGS-01250-(07-1) POP] and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (award number 766-2008-0683), as well as a scholar award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research to the second author [award number CI-SCH-01870(07-1)].

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Correspondence to William L. Dunlop.

Additional information

William L. Dunlop and Mark R. Beauchamp contributed equally to this work.

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Dunlop, W.L., Beauchamp, M.R. En-Gendering Choice: Preferences for Exercising in Gender-Segregated and Gender-Integrated Groups and Consideration of Overweight Status. Int.J. Behav. Med. 18, 216–220 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-010-9125-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-010-9125-6

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