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Vaquero-Cristóbal R, Mateo-Orcajada A, Dağlı Ekmekçi̇ YA, Pereira A, Amin S, Meroño L, González-Gálvez N, Ballı ÖM, Mendes F, Mbah O, Abenza-Cano L, Leiva-Arcas A, Doğan Yİ, Figueiredo A, Ponce-Ramírez CM, Esparza-Ros F, Albaladejo-Saura M. Gender equity in sport from the perspective of European women athletes and sport managers, physical education teachers and sport coaches. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1419578. [PMID: 39184942 PMCID: PMC11342088 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1419578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction For years, gender inequality has conditioned women's participation in sport, exposing them to difficult situations and numerous barriers to face. However, no previous research has analyzed the situation of women in sport from the perspective of the athletes themselves, or from the perspective of the coaches, teachers or managers who work with them. Methods This study examines the perspectives of European women athletes, sports managers, physical education teachers, and sports coaches, on gender equity in sports across six European countries: Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The research design was consistent with a critical realist epistemology, and the sampling method was non-probabilistic by convenience. A total of 42 female athletes (mean age: 24.37 ± 8.27 years old; mean sport experience: 6.67 ± 7.76 years) and 45 sports managers, physical education teachers or coaches (mean age: 47.00 ± 11.99 years old; mean sport experience: 9.62 ± 10.60 years), participated in six focus groups in the same countries, in groups of 6 to 10 participants per focus group. Focus groups were conducted to stimulate collective discussions, build upon and question ideas, and reach a consensus on questions drawn up by a group of experts, following previous methodologies. The data analysis involved transcribing, translating, and contextualizing the focus group recordings into English. Inductive thematic analysis, reflexive thematic analysis, and codes and themes within the data were created using NVivo 12 Pro. Results The main topics discussed by the female athletes were "gender inequality in general and in sport," "barriers to gender equity," "reasons for abandonment," "needs," "environment role models" and "tools for the gender equity in sport." The main topics discussed by the sports managers, physical education teachers, and coaches were "gender inequality in general," "gender inequality in sports," "tools" and "reasons, motives, drivers." The results of the study revealed that gender inequality in sports is influenced by a broader social context, where stereotypes, biases, and discrimination persist. The participants also highlighted the challenges, barriers, and needs that women athletes face in their careers, such as a lack of resources, support, visibility, and recognition. Moreover, the participants suggested some strategies to promote gender equity in sports, such as increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership and role modeling, and developing mixed and inclusive sports projects. Discussion According to athletes and sports managers/teachers/coaches, gender inequality is still present in sport. There are barriers and challenges that need to be addressed such as lack of resources, visibility, and recognition for female athletes. Among the strategies that can be used to reverse this situation are increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership, and developing mixed and inclusive sport projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal
- Research Group Movement Sciences and Sport (MS&SPwORT), Department of Physical Activity and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Lourdes Meroño
- Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Lucía Abenza-Cano
- Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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Mateo-Orcajada A, Vaquero-Cristóbal R, Rey-López JP, Martín-Campoy R, Abenza-Cano L. The Role of Basic Psychological Needs in the Adoption of Healthy Habits by Adolescents. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:592. [PMID: 37504039 PMCID: PMC10376858 DOI: 10.3390/bs13070592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research in this field has not examined the significance of each of the basic psychological needs (BPNs) on changes in the physical activity level, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD), kinanthropometric and derived variables, and the physical fitness of adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (a) to examine the variances in physical activity, AMD, and kinanthropometric and derived variables, as well as fitness levels, among adolescents with varying degrees of satisfaction regarding each of the BPNs and (b) to assess the differences in the study variables among adolescents based on whether the BPNs are satisfied individually or jointly. The sample consisted of 791 adolescents (404 males and 387 females; average age: 14.39 ± 1.26 years old). The findings indicated that adolescents in the highest percentiles (75-100) of competence, autonomy, or relatedness showed higher scores in physical activity and AMD and better kinanthropometric and physical fitness variables than adolescents in the lowest percentiles (0-25). Adolescents who showed joint satisfaction of all BPNs showed the best results on all variables analyzed. In addition, it should be noted that competence played the most relevant role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juan Pablo Rey-López
- Faculty of Health Sciences, International University of Valencia (VIU), 46002 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Lucía Abenza-Cano
- Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
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Mateo-Orcajada A, Vaquero-Cristóbal R, Montoya-Lozano JM, Abenza-Cano L. Differences in Kinanthropometric Variables and Physical Fitness of Adolescents with Different Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Weight Status: "Fat but Healthy Diet" Paradigm. Nutrients 2023; 15:1152. [PMID: 36904151 PMCID: PMC10005536 DOI: 10.3390/nu15051152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The present investigation provides a new paradigm, the fat but healthy diet, through which to analyze the importance of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD) in the adolescent population. To this end, the objectives were to analyze the existing differences in physical fitness, level of physical activity, and kinanthropometric variables in males and females with different AMD and to determine the existing differences in physical fitness, level of physical activity, and kinanthropometric variables in adolescents with different body mass index and AMD. The sample consisted of 791 adolescent males and females whose AMD, level of physical activity, kinanthropometric variables, and physical condition were measured. The results showed that when analyzing the whole sample, the differences were only significant in the level of physical activity among adolescents with different AMD. However, when considering the gender of the adolescents, the males also showed differences in the kinanthropometric variables, while the females did so in the fitness variables. In addition, when considering gender and body mass index, the results showed that overweight males with better AMD showed less physical activity and higher body mass, sum of three skinfolds, and waist circumference, and females did not show differences in any variable. Therefore, the benefits of AMD in anthropometric variables and physical fitness of adolescents are questioned, and the fat but healthy diet paradigm cannot be confirmed in the present research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lucía Abenza-Cano
- Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
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Mateo-Orcajada A, Vaquero-Cristóbal R, Esparza-Ros F, Abenza-Cano L. Physical, Psychological, and Body Composition Differences between Active and Sedentary Adolescents According to the "Fat but Fit" Paradigm. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10797. [PMID: 36078538 PMCID: PMC9518456 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The practice of physical activity during adolescence is essential for the proper development of the population. In recent decades, the relevance of physical activity has been increasing, due to the development of the "fat but fit" paradigm. This paradigm shows that adolescents with a high level of physical fitness are healthier than adolescents with poorer physical fitness, regardless of their weight, giving importance to sports practice over other aspects. However, few previous studies have analyzed the differences in physical and body composition between active and sedentary adolescents in this paradigm. For this reason, the objectives of the present study were to establish the differences in body composition, physical performance, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet between active and sedentary adolescents; and to analyze the differences between active and sedentary adolescents according to the "fat but fit" paradigm. The sample consisted of 791 adolescent whose body composition, level of physical activity, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and physical fitness were measured. It was found significant between active and sedentary adolescents in most of the anthropometric, AMD, and physical fitness variables, with a significant effect of the covariates gender, age, BMI, and biological maturation on the model. The binary logistic regression analysis performed shows that anthropometric variables, AMD, and VO2 max can be considered as primary outcomes to distinguish between active and sedentary groups of adolescents. Furthermore, the results showed that the active adolescents, regardless of their weight status, had lower fat mass and greater muscle mass, as well as a higher performance in the physical fitness tests, and greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet than the sedentary adolescents. To conclude, the practice of physical activity is a determinant for the improvement of body composition, physical performance, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet of the adolescent population, regardless of their gender, age, weight, or maturity status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal
- Faculty of Sport, Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
- Kinanthropometry International Chair, Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Esparza-Ros
- Kinanthropometry International Chair, Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
| | - Lucía Abenza-Cano
- Faculty of Sport, Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
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