The Health of Both Men and Women - Assignment Example

Unit Introduction Physical recreation improves the health of both men and women. In addition, it builds opportunity and creates communal connections. However, single men and women do not participate in active physical activities because of a number of reasons. Miller (2005) claims that, physical recreation is low among single men and women. The main objective of this qualitative study is to examine difference responses of single men and women who do not take part in active physical exercises or recreation. According to Carlson (2004), 62% of people with a domestic income of $ 20 or less are inactive in physical exercises. He also adds that people with high school education are also inactive. However, in some countries there are barriers like lack of safe places to walk and cycle that prevent them from exercising or take part in physical recreation. Individuals also face other barriers to recreation. For example, organizational barriers like lack of financial resources, supportive policies and facilities. There are also cultural barriers where minorities feel unwelcome and uncomfortable in recreation facilities. Additionally, communication is another barrier where low-income families do not have information about recreation services and resources, and gender barriers where, men are favored than women, when it comes to offering recreation facilities. Men get a lot of attention when it comes to sports recreation and therefore, women tend to withdraw themselves from such activities. To add to this, women and men do not exercise because of general barriers like, the recreation department lacking creativity of involving men and women in involving themselves in physical activities. Women or men from poverty would also feel uncomfortable exercising with wealthy individuals. Some staff can also be unwelcoming and insensitive to sexual stereotypes like lesbians and gays and therefore, they feel discouraged from participating in physical activities. This analysis will answer why single men and women do not actively participate in physical exercises, from the research method used to conduct the study (Hamblin, 2005). Research Methods The research method used to conduct the study was a questionnaire, in the form of an interview. Both single men and women were asked why they do not participate in physical recreation activities and their responses were different. The questionnaire was just a closed question where that was easy to answer as well as to code. The responses were only presented as No/yes choice with small explanation required about why the individuals did not participate in physical exercises. The age group that was interviewed was between 17 -45, both single men and women, who were asked different questions, based on why they do not participate in physical exercise. Each one of them was asked a different question in order to come up with a strong background of why single men and women do not exercise. Different code types were used in the study. To start with, the questions were open, where the interviewer asked individuals different questions, but based on the topic. Additionally, there was a simple grid that was used to collect data questionnaires provided. This type of research method is important when coming up with such information because, generally, questionnaires can be used in a broad range of settings to collect information about behavior and opinions of individuals. It also needs to be tested rigorously in order to ensure that data, which is collected, makes sense. To add to this, its method and design influences the response rate, which is achieved as well as data quality. In this study, data was analyzed into age group, male, and female, time and different questions were used in order to come up with a meaningful statistically comparison of the single men and women, Carlson, (2004). Results and Description of Reasons The responses of single women and single men that don’t participate in active physical recreation are: unemployment, laziness, lack of time, the gym is expensive, while others argue that they only have time looking for money. This interview data describes various aspects of why single men and women do not participate in physical recreation. This clearly explains why men and women do not value physical exercises. For example, single women claim that it is too much work to get involved in such exercises. They have much to do, and packing a gym bag only adds to their jam-packed day. Additionally, they claims that they sweat too much during the exercise, and this means that they will have to shower, dress and groom themselves after the exercises, (Waters, 2000). Some claims that they are not aware of any kind of exercises, which means that there is insufficient and incorrect education in the society. Loui (2009) asserts that, insufficient education leads to feelings of intimidation and inadequacy, which makes someone dislike exercises even before they try. Exercises are also associated with gym, which is incorrect.Most Single women claim that walking to the shops and running errands is a form of exercise. Waters (2000), explains that swimming, hiking and cycling are good forms of exercise that single women can take part as an alternative rather than incorrectly associating exercises with running errands and going for shopping. There is also the issue of competitiveness, where women do not want to prove a point or win. All they want is to remove the muffins on their stomach, yet they keep eating them, thus comparing them with their male counterparts. Others claim that they engage themselves in physical exercises when they go out dancing like once a week, while some run out of time. In their spare times, they would rather go visiting and relaxing with their friends rather than go to the gym. Having no one to go to the gym with or company is also one of the reasons why they do not exercise, as well as being expensive (Loui, 2009). For single men, they do not exercise because; they claim that by the time they get back from work, it is already too late to go to the gym and therefore, have no time to exercise. Unemployment is also a barrier that makes them not to exercise. Most of them claim that going to gym is expensive and cannot afford because their services are expensive. However, Hamblin (2005) contends that men exercise more than women despite their marital status. They tend to love sports and other recreation and active exercises to build their muscles. Research says that, men love being big bodied as well as feel more masculine when they go to the gym. In the interview data, single men claimed that they do not engage in active exercises because they are unemployed and therefore, cannot afford to pay for such activities. Others claim that they love sports and cannot participate in any because they are not in any team and general laziness.To add to this, they will only join sport activities as a hobby and to exercise their bodies, as well as to feel energetic and strong. They also feel that exercise is important and essential in their bodies. This is because exercising prevents weight gain, and makes someone shape his body. It also helps relieve stress and keeps them off from engaging in harmful activities like taking drugs and other crimes (Miller, 2005). According to Miller (2005), the society has become health conscious and therefore, increased focus on the significance of exercise. Both single men and women will exercise in order to control their weight, relieve stress, and become physically attractive. It distracts one’s mind from problems and helps change the scenery of their mind to something useful. Looking good is another reason why men and women exercise. Loui (2009) also adds that, exercise helps maintain a healthy smile and glow, lose weight, boost their clothes as well as tone their body. This analysis shows that more single men than women exercise more frequently. It also illustrates how level of exercises for single women and men are linked with age, where there is no difference in age, on how they both engage themselves in physical exercises. However, women do not participate in physical exercises steadily, whereas single men exercises several times a week to feel more masculine and energetic. Conclusion From this analysis, one can conclude that single men participate more in active physical recreation than single women. Generally men will exercise more despite their marital status or age. From the interview, many of them claimed that gym or recreational services are expensive and therefore, unaffordable for both single men and women who are unemployed. General laziness is also another barrier that makes them not participate in active exercises. For example, some prefer to hang out with their friends instead of exercising or gym. For example, single women prefer to go for shopping or run errands and mistake that as exercise. These qualitative analysis only accounts for age as well as differences between single men and women engaging in physical exercises. However, research should also be conducted to determine the range at which both married men and women engage in active physical exercises in order to come up with information that is more concrete. Therefore, this study does not really allow for best test of such a hypothesis and data collected does not corporate. Some of the responses why single women and men do not exercise are similar and do not have much difference. References Carlson, K. J., Eisenstat, S. A., & Ziporyn, T. D. (2004). The new Harvard guide to womens health. Cambridge, Mass, Harvard University Press. http://www.credoreference.com/vol/540. Hamblin, W. K., & Howard, J. D. (2005). Exercises in physical geology. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Pearson Prentice Hall. Loui.A (2009), The physical actor: exercises for action and awareness. New York: Taylor &Francis. Miller, C. (2005). The Miller fitness plan: physical training for men and women. Santa Fe, Sunstone Press. Waters, K. (2000). Women and men political theorists. Oxford, Blackwell Publishing. Read More