Community Religiosity and Sport Opportunities: Implications for Physical Activity and Gender Equity in the USA

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among religiosity, sport opportunities, and physical activity participation in the USA. The research comprises two studies. The first study investigated whether county-level religiosity (N = 3064 counties or administrative units) is associated with adult physical activity levels. Results of regression analysis indicate that higher proportions of Mainline Protestants, Catholics, and adherents of other religious traditions are positively associated with access to recreational and sport facilities, which, in turn, relate to higher physical activity levels. The total model explained 67.7% of the variance. The second study explored the association between religiosity and women's sport participation in college athletics (N = 344 athletic departments). Results reveal that a higher proportion of Evangelicals are negatively associated with participation opportunities for women athletes, explaining 13.0% of the variance. For public health professionals and sport managers, the studies underscore the complex influence of community religious beliefs, religiosity, sport, and physical activity. The authors discuss theoretical contributions and implications.