Why do women exercise less often than men?

2003 FEB 13 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- 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, PhD, 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.

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," 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.