Why Do Women Exercise Less Often than Men?

Women work out less than men despite ample research that physical inactivity is a risk factor for heart disease. A new book explores the problem.

"Lack of time is by far the most commonly expressed reason," said Amy Eyler, Ph.D., assistant professor of community health at Saint Louis University School of Public Health and editor of a new book on physical activity among women. "Women are too busy taking care of others to take care of themselves. Their dedication to family presents substantial time and logistical barriers to being physically active."

Women also cited a lack of social support and lack of a safe environment as reasons for not exercising.

Dr. Eyler's book, "Environmental Policy and Cultural Factors Related to Physical Activity in a Diverse Sample of Women," explores factors that may influence women's participation in physical activities. The book consists of seven research studies funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of the Women's Cardiovascular Health Network Project. Researchers interviewed women in various regions and from various cultures: African American, American Indian, Latina and Caucasian.

Eyler said that while women uniformly felt a lack of time for exercise, cultural differences added a twist to the findings.

"Caucasian women said they failed to exercise more because they felt guilty for taking time for themselves," Dr. Eyler said. "It was a self-imposed barrier. But Latinas, American Indian and African-American women said societal pressure kept them from being more physically active. They felt society expected them to care for others first. And, oftentimes, women in these cultural groups find themselves in a multigenerational home so there's more to take care of."

Such barriers could be deadly: Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, killing more women than men each year.

Regional issues also surfaced. Urban women said they did not walk or jog because they feared being attacked by someone on the streets. American Indian woman gave an example about being attacked by unattended dogs. And women living in rural areas said they feared being hit by vehicles as they walked along two-lane roads.

Other research findings contained in the book:* African-American women feel it is more culturally acceptable for them to be heavier than Caucasian women.* American Indian women said their communities often frowned upon women who did "purposeful exercise" rather than chores or other cultural physical activities.* Latina immigrants mentioned not speaking English and a lack of confidence as barriers to joining a gym or participating in activity classes. * All women studied cited a lack of social support as a barrier to exercise. They said they felt uncomfortable asking for help with their families or asking employers for time during work hours to exercise.

"The book is an effort to better understand the role that environmental and policy factors may play in influencing physical activity in women," Dr. Eyler said.

"Once we have a better understanding of that then things can be changed to help women. Maybe employers can do a better job of offering activity programs at work so women don't have to give up what little family time they have. Maybe walking paths can be developed in rural areas so women who are afraid of walking on two-lane roads will have a safe place to exercise."

Research institutions that contributed studies to the book include the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Maryland at College Park, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of South Carolina and Saint Louis University.

Saint Louis University School of Public Health is one of only 32 fully accredited schools of public health in the United States.

The book, "Environmental, Policy and Cultural Factors Related to Physical Activity in a Diverse Sample of Women," is available from The Haworth Medical Press at www.HaworthPress.com.