The primary purposes of this review were to identify key social-environmental influences on the physical-activity behavior of women and to propose an organizing framework of these influences in the social environment.
Data Sources.
Computerized searches of MEDLINE, Science Direct, and CINAHL were conducted to identify relevant research.
Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria.
Studies were included if they used a sample of adult women or included gender-specific analysis, identified or measured some aspect of the social environment in relation to physical activity, and were published in English within the last two decades.
Data Extraction.
Characteristics of study design, sample population, and identified social-environmental variables were extracted.
Data Synthesis.
Through an iterative review of the data by several researchers, common influences and themes were identified and organized into a social environment framework, which included the following components: social support/social networks, life transitions/multiple roles, and cultural standards/gender role expectations.
Results.
Women are exposed to societal messages that indicate physical activity is not a priority and may be inappropriate; they may also lack the social support necessary to adopt and maintain physical activity.
Conclusions.
This review reveals the complex range of factors in the social environment that influence women, and it provides support for the importance of the social environment on physical-activity behavior in women. A social-environmental framework related to Bronfenbrenner's social ecological model is proposed along with recommended strategies to apply in interventions targeting women.
MansonJHuFRich-EdwardsJ, A prospective study of walking compared with vigorous exercise in the prevention of coronary heart disease in women. N Engl J Med. 1999;341:650–658.
2.
MartinezMGiovannucciESpiegelmanD, Physical activity, body size, and colorectal cancer in women [abstract]. Am J Epidemiol. 1996;143:S73.
3.
McTiernanAKooperbergCWhiteE, Recreational physical activity and the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. JAMA. 2003;290(10):1331–1331.
4.
HuFMansonJStampferM, A prospective study of physical activity and risk of stroke in women [abstract]. Am J Epidemiol. 1999;149:S39.
5.
HuFSigalRRich-EdwardsJ, Walking compared with vigorous physical activity and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA. 1999;282:1433–1439.
6.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence of recommended levels of physical activity among women—Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 1992. MMWR. 1995 Feb;44(6):105–105.
7.
US Department of Health Human Services. Physical activity and health: A report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996.
8.
RockhillBWillettWMansonJ, Physical activity and mortality: A prospective study among women. Am J Public Health. 2001;91:578–583.
9.
SchoenbornCAdamsPBarnesPVickerieJSchillerJ.Health Behaviors of Adults: United States, 1999–2001. National Center For Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 2004;10(219):39–39.
10.
EylerABrownsonRKingA, Physical activity and women in the United States: An overview of health benefits, prevalence, and intervention opportunities. Women Health. 1997;26(3):27–27.
11.
Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, National conference on physical activity and women's health. Women's Health Issues. 1998;8:69–88.
12.
BoothSMayerJSallisJ, Environmental and societal factors affect food choice and physical activity: Rationale, influences, and leverage points. Nutr Rev. 2001;59(3):S21–S39.
13.
EconomosCBrownsonRDeAngelisM, What lessons have been learned from other attempts to guide social change? Nutr Rev. 2001;59(3):S40–S56.
14.
KahnERamseyLBrownsonR, The effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity: A systematic review. Am J Prev Med. 2002;22(4S):73–73.
15.
BanduraA.Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall; 1986.
16.
SallisJOwenN.Ecological models of health behavior. In: GlanzKRimerBLewisF, eds. Health Behavior and Health Education. 3rd ed.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2002:462–462.
17.
WenzelLGlanzKLermanC.Stress, coping, and health behavior. In: GlanzKRimerBLewisF, eds. Health Behavior and Health Education. 3rd ed.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2002:210–210.
18.
LewisMDeVellisBSleathB.Social influence and interpersonal communication in health behavior. In: GlanzKRimerBLewisF, eds. Health Behavior and Health Education. 3rd ed.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2002:240–240.
19.
BronfenbrennerU.Developmental ecology through space and time: A future perspective. In: MoenPElderGJr, eds. Examining lives in context: Perspectives on the ecology of human development. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 1995:619–619.
20.
RennKArnoldK.Reconceptualizing research on college student peer culture. J Higher Educ. 2003;74(3):261–261.
21.
SpenceJLeeR.Toward a comprehensive model of physical activity. J Psych Sport. 2003;4:7–24.
22.
HeaneyCIsraelB.Social networks and social support. In: GlanzKRimerBLewisF, eds. Health Behavior and Health Education. 3rd ed.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2002:185–185.
23.
BartholomewLParcelGKokGGottliebN.Intervention mapping: Designing theory-based and evidence-based health promotion programs. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company; 2001.
24.
EylerAWilcoxSMatson-KoffmanD, Correlates of physical activity among women from diverse racial/ethnic groups: A review. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002;11(3):239–239.
25.
AinsworthBWilcoxSThompsonWRichterDHendersonK.Personal, social, and physical environmental correlates of physical activity in African-American women in South Carolina. Am J Prev Med. 2003;25(3Si):23–29.
26.
BergJCromwellSArnettM.Physical activity: Perspectives of Mexican American and Anglo American midlife women. Health Care Women Int. 2002;23:894–904.
27.
BrownsonRBakerEHousemannRBrennanLBacakS.Environmental and policy determinants of physical activity in the United States. Am J Public Health. 2001;91(12):1995–1995.
28.
EvensonKSarmientoOMaconLTawneyKAmmermanA.Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity among Latina immigrants. Women Health. 2002;36(2):43–43.
29.
EylerABakerECromerL, Physical activity and minority women: A qualitative study. Health Educ Behav. 1998;25(5): 640–640.
30.
EylerAVestJ.Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity among in White women. Women Health. 2002;36(2):111–111.
31.
HendersonKAinsworthB.The connections between social support and women's physical activity involvement: The cultural activity participation study. Women Sports Phys Act J. 2000;9(2):27–27.
32.
HendersonKAinsworthB.A synthesis of perceptions about physical activity among older African American and American Indian women. Am J Public Health. 2003;93(2):313–313.
33.
NiesMVollmanMCookT.Facilitators, barriers, and strategies for exercise in European American women in the community. Public Health Nurs. 1998;15(4):263–263.
34.
NiesMVollmanMCookT.African-American women's experiences with physical activity in their daily lives. Public Health Nurs. 1999;16:23–31.
35.
RichterDWilcoxSGreaneyMHendersonKAinsworthB.Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in African American women. Women Health. 2002;36(2):91–91.
36.
SandersonBLittletonMPulleyL.Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity among rural, African American women. Women Health. 2002;36(2):75–75.
37.
TessaroICampbellMBenedictS, Developing a worksite health promotion intervention: Health works for women. Am J Health Behavior. 1998;22(6):434–434.
38.
ThompsonJAllenPCunningham-SaboL, Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in sedentary American Indian women. Women Health. 2002;36(2):59–59.
39.
WilburJChandlerPDancyBChoiJPlonczynskiD.Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in urban, African American women. Women Health. 2002;36(2):17–17.
40.
YoungDHeXHarrisJMabryI.Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in well-educated urban African American women. Women Health. 2002;36(2):29–29.
41.
EylerABrownsonRDonateileR, Physical activity social support and middle-and older-aged minority women: Results from a US survey. Soc Sci Med. 1999; 49:781–789.
42.
SharmaMSargentLStacyR.Predictors of leisure-time physical activity among African American women. Am J Health Behavior. 2005;29(4):352–352.
43.
OkaRKingAYoungD.Sources of social support as predictors of exercise adherence in women and men ages 50 to 65 years. Women's Health: Research on Gender, Behavior, and Policy. 1995;1(2):161–161.
44.
DuncanTDuncanSMcAuleyE.The role of domain and gender specific provisions of social relations in adherence to a prescribed exercise regimen. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 1993;15:220–231.
45.
BoothMBaumanAOwenNGoreC.Physical activity preferences, preferred sources of assistance, and perceived barriers to increased activity among physically inactive Australians. Prev Med. 1997;26:131–137.
46.
FahrenwaldNAtwoodJWalkerSJohnsonDBergK.A randomized pilot test of “Moms on the Move:” A physical activity intervention for WIC mothers. Ann Behav Med. 2004;27(2):82–82.
47.
JacobsAAmmermanAEnnettS, Effects of a tailored follow-up intervention on health behaviors, beliefs and attitudes. J Womens Health. 2004;13(5):557–557.
48.
StatenLGregory-MercadoKRanger-MooreJ, Provider counseling, health education, and community health workers: The Arizona WISEWOMAN Project. J Womens Health. 2004;13(5):547–547.
49.
YanekLBeckerDMoyTGittlesohnJKoffmanD.Project Joy: Faith based cardiovascular health promotion for African American women. Public Health Rep. 2001;116(S1):68–68.
50.
CampbellMTessaroIDeVellisB, Effects of a tailored health promotion program for female blue-collar workers: Health works for women. Prev Med. 2002;34:313–323.
51.
PetersonJYatesBAtwoodJHertzogM.Effects of a physical activity intervention for women. West J Nur Res. 2005;27(1):93–93.
MillerY.TrostSBrownW.Mediators of physical activity behavior change among women with young children. Am J Prev Med. 2002;23(2S):98–98.
54.
WilcoxSRichterDHendersonKGreaneyMAinsworthB.Perceptions of physical activity and personal barriers and enablers in African American women. Ethn Dis. 2002;12:353–362.
55.
AlbrightCPruittLCastroC, Modifying physical activity in a multiethnic sample of low-income women: One-year results from the IMPACT (Increasing Motivation for Physical ACTivity) Project. Ann Behav Med. 2005;30(3):191–191.
56.
KingACastroCWilcoxS, Personal and environmental factors associated with physical inactivity among different racial-ethnic groups of U.S. middle-aged and older-aged women. Health Psychol. 2000;19(4):354–354.
57.
BrownWTrostA.Life transitions and changing physical activity patterns in young women. Am J Prev Med. 2003;25(2):140–140.
58.
FallonEWilcoxSAinsworthB.Correlates of self-efficacy for physical activity in African-American women. Women Health. 2005;41(3):47–47.
59.
ScharffDHomanSKreuterMBrennanL.Factors associated with physical activity across the life span: Implications for program development. Women Health. 1999;29(2):115–115.
60.
ShankJ.An exploration of leisure in the lives of dual career women. Journal of Leisure Research. 1986;18(4):300–300.
61.
VerhoefMLoveE.Women's exercise participation: The relevance of social roles compared with non-role related determinants. Can J Public Health. 1992;83(5):367–367.
62.
HendersonKAinsworthB.Sociocultural perspectives on physical activity in the lives of older African American and American Indian women: A cross cultural activity participation study. Women Health. 2000;31(1):l–20.
63.
SternfeldBAinsworthBQuesenberryC.Physical activity patterns in a diverse population or women. Prev Med. 1999;28:313–323.
64.
TortoleroSMasseLFultonJTorresIKohlH.Assessing physical activity among minority women: Focus group results. Womens Health Issues. 1999;9(3):135–135.
65.
EylerA.Personal, social and environmental correlates of physical activity in rural midwestern white women. Am J Prev Med. 2003;25(3Si):86–86.
66.
EylerAMatson-KoffmanDVestJ, Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in a diverse sample of women: The women's cardiovascular health network project: Summary and discussion. Women Health. 2002;36(2):123–123.
67.
KreuterMMcClureS.The role of culture in health communication. Ann Review Public Health. 2004;25:439–455.
68.
SegarMJayaratneTHanlonJRichardsonC.Fitting fitness into women's lives: Effects of a gender-tailored physical activity intervention. Womens Health Issues. 2002;12(6):338–338.
69.
ThompsonJWolfeVWilsonNPardillaMPerezG.Personal, social, and environmental correlates of physical activity in Native American women. Am J Prev Med. 2003;25(3Si):53–60.
70.
HalfonNHochsteinM.Life course health development: An integrated framework for developing health, policy, and research. Milbank Q. 2002;80(3):433–433.
71.
MarcusBForsythL.Tailoring interventions to promote physically active lifestyles in women. Womens Health Issues. 1998;8(2):104–104.
72.
KrummelDKoffmanDBronnerY, Cardiovascular health interventions in women: What works? J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2001;10(2):117–117.
73.
ShepardR.Whistler 2001: A Health Canada/CDC conference on communicating physical activity and health messages—science into practice. Am J Prev Med. 2002;23(3):221–221.
74.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Making Health Communications Programs Work. Washington, DC: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Available at: http://www.nci.nih.gov/pinkbook. Accessed March 28, 2004. 2004.
75.
CohenDScribnerRFarleyT.A structural model of health behaviors: A pragmatic approach to explain and influence health behaviors at the population level. Prev Med. 2000;30:146–154.
76.
KrenichynK.Women and physical activity in an urban park: Enrichment and support through an ethic of care. J Environ Psychol. 2004;24:117–130.
