Women and exercise participation: the mixed blessings of motherhood

Exercise participation, perceived barriers to exercise, and perceived benefits of exercise were analyzed in a large random sample of urban women ages 20-49 (N = 1,113). Although mothers and women without children perceived similar benefits of exercising, mothers were much less active than women without children. The differences were greatest for women under the age of 40. After age 40, the differences were smaller as a result of the decrease in exercise in women without children. The study also indicated that motherhood itself, rather than the number and ages of children, was a barrier to exercise participation. In general, mothers perceived more barriers to exercising than did women without children. These findings illustrate the differences in opportunities for mothers and women without children due to sociocultural circumstances and have implications for the planning of exercise promotion for mothers.