Related Experiment Videos
Beyond Average Sex Differences: A Bayesian Analysis of Extreme and Discordant Physical Activity-Dietary Behavioral
1Department of Biological Principles of Physical Activity, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wrocław, Poland.
Abstract:
Background/Objectives: Physical activity (PA) and dietary behaviors are commonly examined separately or through average associations, potentially obscuring individual heterogeneity and behavioral discordance. This study aimed to identify extreme and recurring PA-dietary behavioral profiles and examine sex-related differences. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 418 university students (199 men and 219 women). Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-LF), whereas dietary behaviors were evaluated using the Questionnaire of Eating Behaviors (QEB) and expressed as the pro-Healthy Diet Index (pHDI-8) and non-Healthy Diet Index (nHDI-8). Robust Mahalanobis distance (RMD) was used to identify extreme multivariate configurations. Bayesian finite-mixture modelling was subsequently used to explore recurring behavioral profiles, and concordant and discordant PA-dietary configurations were examined by sex. Results: RMD identified 49 participants (11.7%) with extreme multivariate configurations; these configurations were significantly more frequent among men than women (15.1% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.042). Bayesian modelling yielded a converged, exploratory two-profile solution differentiated primarily by dietary behaviors. The more favorable dietary profile included 37.1% of participants and was more frequent among women (54.8% vs. 17.6%; OR = 5.68, 95% CI: 3.62-8.92). Discordant PA-dietary configurations occurred in 49.5% of the sample and were more frequent among women (57.1% vs. 41.2%; OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.29-2.80). Women predominantly exhibited lower PA and more favorable dietary behaviors, whereas men more frequently exhibited higher PA and less favorable dietary behaviors. Discordance was not associated with multivariate extremeness (p = 0.823). Conclusions: Joint assessment of PA and dietary behaviors revealed heterogeneity beyond average sex differences. Discordant PA-dietary configurations differed by sex, although their distribution was sensitive to reference cutoffs. Discordance and multivariate extremeness represented distinct aspects of behavioral heterogeneity. These findings support person-centered assessment of lifestyle behaviors and may inform more targeted health-promotion strategies.
Related Concept Videos
Relationship Formation
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing, inherently...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Cross-Sectional Research
Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation
Mate Choice