Differences in physical activity and perceived benefits and barriers to physical activity between LGBTQ + and non-LGBTQ + college students

Author: Frederick, Ginny M.; Castillo-Hernandez, Isaura M.; Williams, Ewan R.; Singh, Anneliese A.; Evans, Ellen M.

Description: OBJECTIVE: To compare physical activity (PA) behaviors and perceived benefits and barriers among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) and non-LGBTQ + college students.

Participants: Participants were 406 college students.

Methods: Surveys assessed PA behaviors and perceptions of PA among college students. Multivariate ANOVA assessed differences in PA behaviors and perceptions of PA.

Results: LGBTQ + students (n = 71) engaged in 17% less aerobic PA and 42% less resistance training than their counterparts (n = 335; both p < .05). LGBTQ + students reported 6.5% lower total Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale scores and 13.3% higher Barriers Scale scores (both p < .05).

Conclusions: LGBTQ + college students are at higher risk of not meeting PA guidelines than non-LGBTQ + students. More perceived barriers and fewer perceived benefits to PA may contribute to this disparity. Identification of LGBTQ+-specific barriers to PA among college students is needed to inform programming to increase PA among this at-risk community.

Subject headings: LGBTQ+; College students; Perceived benefits and barriers; Physical activity

Publication year: 2020

Journal or book title: Journal of American College Health

Find the full text: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448481.2020.1842426

Find more like this one (cited by): https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=15868622197910201205&as_sdt=1000005&sciodt=0,16&hl=en

Serial number: 3553

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