Research results by Lars Lenze, a member of the research group on community health and health care systems, were recently featured in newspapers from the Tamedia group (e.g., Tagesanzeiger, Berner Zeitung). His study examines how becoming a parent influences sports and exercise behaviour, highlighting the difference between becoming a mother and a father.
In the media coverage, the work from Lars Lenze contributes to the discussion about the gender exercise gap. His findings show that becoming a mother—but not a father—has a negative impact on an individual’s sports and exercise routine. Moreover, the older a woman is when she becomes a mother, the stronger this negative effect appears to be. Lenze was quoted about the possible reasons for the effects found and supposes: «The structures of one’s life become increasingly set in adulthood. Perhaps older mothers are less flexible in adapting to this new life situation.»
This research was conducted during his PhD at the Institute of Sport Science at the University of Bern, in collaboration with the official Swiss Monitoring for Sports and Exercise Behaviour “Sport Schweiz”. Currently, Lenze continues his work as a postdoctoral researcher in the research group on community health and health care systems, headed by Prof. Annika Frahsa, investigating how physical activity contributes to mental health.
Links
«Warum Mütter und Väter so ungleich häufig Sport treiben» (PDF, 805KB)
