Introduction: The aim of the study was to analyze the habits, motives and barriers related to Leisure Time Physical Activity (LTPA) among young women of Gipuzkoa, from a mixed approach.Methods: A total of 526 women aged 18–29 (24.60 ± 3.30 years) responded to the Gipuzkoa Women’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (GWPAQ), seven of which were later interviewed.Results: The main motives for LTPA were intrapersonal — related to health and enjoyment — and to interpersonal networks. However, the main barriers facing LTPA were mostly intrapersonal, such as lack of time, tiredness, and laziness. Contextual factors such as the availability of safe spaces, previous negative experiences, or negative self-perception of motor competence also emerged as conditioning factors in young women’s LTPA habits.Discussion: This study may help to promote policies aimed at incentivizing LTPA for young women based on their needs and interests, by addressing the diversity of factors.

Inactivity is higher among women than among men, and there are few specific questionnaires used to assess physical activity (PA) in women that are truly meaningful to them. This article tackles the design and validation process of an ad hoc multidimensional questionnaire to assess leisure time physical activity (LTPA) among adult women of Gipuzkoa. The questionnaire was completed by 3595 adult women (43.5 ± 12.1 years), 32% of which were inactive and 68% of which were active. Content validation, ecological validation, and internal consistency analysis results were satisfactory. The Gipuzkoa Women’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (GWPAQ) consists of four dimensions and 21 items. Barriers to PA were found related to intrapersonal, environmental, and socio-cultural aspects. The importance of family and spousal support in increasing PA levels was also observed. It is concluded that the GWPAQ is valid for obtaining evidence that can be used by public institutions to optimise women-specific PA promotion policies.

The aim of this study was to analyse the meanings that underlie women’s participation in and commitment to leisure-time sport related to Basque pelota. Thirty-eight women between 22 and 60 years old participated in this ethnographic study, which conducted 21 semi-structured interviews. The theoretical framework used for the analysis was informed by a feminist approach and the Serious Leisure Perspective. A hybrid approach, deductive-inductive coding was employed. The data analysis revealed that recreational and competitive female athletes had different levels of engagement and attributed different meanings to their sport practice depending on their form of participation, their commitment, and the lifestyle built around it. It is concluded that the seriousness with which the activities are carried out influences the sport involvement of female Basque pelota players, which should be taken into account to adapt the activities and make an offer related to the characteristics of each pelotari type’s context.

Emakumeen artean jarduera fisikoa eta kirola (JFK) sustatzen duten programak garatzea garrantzitsua da. Ikerlan honetan emakumeentzako kirol-kanpainetan genero-ikuspegia txertatzeko erabiltzen diren adierazleak identifikatu eta horiekin ebaluatzeko adierazleen proposamena egin da. Horretarako, literaturaren berrikuspen narratiboa egin da eta hautatutako dokumentuek inklusio-irizpide hauek bete dituzte: emakumeei zuzendutako JFKaren kanpainak aztertzen dituzten lanak izatea, edo/ eta ahalduntzea edo/eta genero-ikuspegia helburu izatea, eta dokumentu publikoak izatea. Aurkitu diren dokumentuak 65 izan dira eta irizpideak bete dituztenak 32. Edukien analisia egiteko kategoria-sistema sortu da eta azterketa bukatu ondoren genero-ikuspegiaren araberako adierazleen proposamena garatu da. Ondorioztatu da emakumeentzako kirol-kanpainen beharra dagoela, baita sortzen diren kanpaina horien ebaluazioa egitekoa ere, horretarako artikulu honetan proposatzen den ebaluazio-tresna erabiltzea gomendatuz.

Background: Women, particularly those with young children, engage in less leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) than men. Additionally, mothers living in rural areas have more difficulty participating in LTPA than those in urban areas. The aim of this study was to analyze the challenges faced by mothers of rural areas of Gipuzkoa in LTPA participation, from a feminist perspective. Methods: A total of 129 mothers (age 41.5 ± 5.9; 45.7% inactive) with young children completed the Gipuzkoa Women’s Physical Activity Questionnaire. Concurrently, four focus groups were organized in four different municipalities, in which 19 mothers of young children participated (13 were inactive). Barriers were classified based on the socioecological perspective. Results: The most frequently mentioned intrapersonal barriers were lack of time due to work and caregiving, age-/pregnancy-/motherhood-related health issues, and a feeling of rejection toward LTPA. The most relevant interpersonal barriers were a lack of partners to do LTPA with and a lack of spouse support. The main environmental barriers were related to the shortage of facilities and activities suited to their needs and the rugged terrain. Conclusions: Mothers of young children living in rural areas face barriers twice over: because they are women and mothers and because they live in a rural environment. It therefore seems important to consider their perceived barriers to design, develop, and implement strategies to promote LTPA among this population group.