Oral

Women across societies and cultures balance a myriad of life’s social roles, responsibilities and expectations which poses challenges to their participation in health-promoting behaviors. This, in turn, significantly impacts their health and quality of life, particularly in regard to the impact of physical inactivity and poor dietary practices. In this session, we will first present findings from a systematic review of the literature that examined evidence of socio-cultural barriers to physical activity among women. Following that exposition of the existing literature, findings will be presented from a qualitative study investigating whether gender-based restraints impact physical inactivity among women. Other topics will include the impact of the objectification of college females on disordered eating behaviors and the motivating effect of intuitive eating on physical activity among women.

Session Objectives: Identify socio-cultural barriers to physical activity experienced by women across various settings and cultures, Describe how gender-based constraints impede physical activity while gender-based opportunities facilitate physical activity among women, Explain how objectification influences disordered eating behaviors among college females, and Describe the motivating effect of intuitive eating on physical activity among women