Disparities in physical activity between sexual minority and heterosexual women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Katherine Sullivan; Madelyn K Simmang; Elroy J Aguiar; Lee J Winchester; Stefanie A Wind; Michael R Esco; Michael V Fedewa

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107708

Disparities in physical activity between sexual minority and heterosexual women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Prev Med. 2023 Oct:175:107708. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107708. Epub 2023 Sep 17.

Authors

Katherine Sullivan¹, Madelyn K Simmang², Elroy J Aguiar², Lee J Winchester², Stefanie A Wind³, Michael R Esco², Michael V Fedewa²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States of America; Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, United States of America. Electronic address: hr2070@wayne.edu.
² Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States of America.
³ Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States of America.

PMID: 37726039
DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107708

Abstract

Research examining potential differences in physical activity (PA) between sexual minority women (SMW) and heterosexual women have yielded inconsistent results.

Objective: Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine potential differences in PA between SMW and heterosexual women and to identify potential moderators that may partially explain observed differences in PA.

Methods: All studies were peer reviewed, published in English, and included a continuous measure of PA for SMW and heterosexual women. A standardized mean difference effect size (ES) was used to compare groups, with random effects models used to estimate a mean ES and 95% CI using a 3-level meta-analysis model to adjust for the correlation between effects nested within studies.

Results: The cumulative results of 24 effects gathered from 7 studies indicated there was no difference in PA between SMW (n = 1619) and heterosexual women (n = 103,295) (ES = -0.038, 95%CI -0.179 to 0.102, p = 0.576). Despite no mean differences, moderate-high heterogeneity was observed, indicating that the results were not consistent across effects (I² = 64.8%, Q₂₃ = 36.7, p = 0.035). The difference in PA was associated with age (β = -0.018, 95%CI -0.034 to -0.003, p = 0.022) and BMI (β = -0.145, 95%CI -0.228 to -0.061, p = 0.002), with a quadratic relationship observed for both variables.

Conclusions: Although the results of the current analysis did not indicate significant differences in PA behaviors between SMW and heterosexual women, age and BMI modify the association and are curvilinear in nature; such that smaller differences in PA were observed between SMW and heterosexual women when samples were middle-aged and overweight.

Keywords: Bisexual; LGBQ+; Lesbian; Meta-analysis; Physical activity; Sexual minority women.

Publication types

Review