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Gender differences in social support and leisure-time physical activity
Aldair J Oliveira1, Claudia S Lopes2, Mikael Rostila3
1Laboratório de Dimensões Sociais Aplicadas à Atividade Física e ao Esporte, Instituto de Educação, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brasil.
Revista De Saude Publica
|September 12, 2014
Summary
Social support influences leisure-time physical activity differently in men and women. Material support is linked to individual activities for women, while affective support is associated with more time spent on physical activity for men.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
- Social Science
Background:
- Social support is crucial for health behaviors.
- Understanding gender-specific influences on physical activity is vital for targeted interventions.
- Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is a key component of a healthy lifestyle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender differences in how social support dimensions affect LTPA maintenance, type, and duration.
- To analyze the relationship between various forms of social support and LTPA in adults.
- To identify specific patterns of social support influencing physical activity in men versus women.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 1,278 university employees in Brazil.
- Physical activity assessed via self-report, distinguishing between individual/group activities and time spent.
- Social support measured using the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale.
- Gender-specific logistic regression models were employed for analysis.
Main Results:
- Material support was associated with individual LTPA among women (OR = 2.76).
- Affective support was linked to increased time spent on LTPA in men (OR = 1.80).
- Associations between social support dimensions and LTPA varied significantly by gender.
Conclusions:
- All examined social support dimensions impacted LTPA type or duration.
- Significant gender differences were observed in the associations between social support and LTPA.
- Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these gender-specific effects.
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