Using a marketing framework to discover and design strategies to increase strength training in young adult women

Muscle-strengthening activities offer to everyone important health benefits, including increased bone density, strength and mobility, weight management, mood enhancement, decreased blood pressure, and when combined with aerobic exercise, strength training optimizes glycemic control in diabetes. For women in particular, muscle strengthening is critical for building bone mass.

Experts recommend that adults engage in muscle strengthening activities at least twice a week; however, many young women struggle to meet these recommendations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that only 20% of women ages 18-24 and 21% of women ages 25-34 engage in muscle-strengthening activities twice a week.

We used a social marketing framework to conduct focus groups and interviews to study the knowledge, attitudes, motivators, and barriers for strength training in women college students and university employees aged 18-34 and the supports they needed to do regular strength training. Using transcriptions from the groups, we analyzed the data using comparative strategies for consistent themes and categories. Results showed that young women have insufficient knowledge about many aspects of strength training, including how strength training should be done and how often it should be done. The gym environment strongly influenced the women's experience and likelihood of strength training. For women who regularly strength train, their motivators for strength training suggested messaging strategies to help young adult women who do not strength train overcome barriers to strength training.

The findings have implications for communication, marketing, and environmental strategies for prevention and wellness among young adult women.