The message matters: Advertisement framing and college women’s beliefs toward exercise

Abstract

Objective: This study explores college women’s beliefs and experiences about exercise informed by different framing strategies, and how they may influence exercise engagement. Participants: Four focus groups were conducted with 19 undergraduate women at a large public Midwestern university.

Methods: Four differently framed group exercise advertisements were used to prompt focus group discussions on beliefs and intentions to exercise. Transcribed data were analyzed with a thematic content approach.

Results: Undergraduate female participants described more positive beliefs that influence intention with a well-being-framed advertisement. More negative beliefs were described when the advertisement focused on enhancing appearance. Participants of color believed that seeing more representation of diversity in advertisements would make engaging in exercise easier.

Conclusion: Positive beliefs linked to a “well-being” frame and diverse imagery of women in exercise advertisements may improve intention to exercise, increasing physical activity among women.

Keywords:

• Beliefs
• exercise
• physical activity
• women

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Indiana University.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.