Social Inequalities in Body Weight and Physical Activity

Fitness centers are a viable option for physical activity, particularly in climates with significant weather variation. Due to variation in economic and social expressions of exclusivity, fitness centers may have some relation to social inequalities in physical inactivity and related health outcomes; thus, our objective was to explore this relation. Using publicly available data and guided by Bourdieu's theory of habitus, we classified fitness centers in Calgary, Canada, on three dimensions of exclusivity (economic, social, and appearance). We found that, although some highly exclusive centers exist, most demonstrated low exclusivity based on our dimensions. An overall contribution of centers to inequalities appears to be limited; however, caution is warranted in light of cutbacks to municipal budgets that can have an impact on publicly funded facilities.

Key words:

• body image
• obesity
• socioeconomic factors

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lindsay McLaren

Please address correspondence concerning this article to Lindsay McLaren, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4Z6