In an examination of more than 600 recent research articles published in six leading exercise physiology journals, a new review led by Meaghan MacNutt of the University of British Columbia in Canada has found a significant underrepresentation of women both as study participants and researchers in the discipline.
Nearly half of the studies included in the review had only male participants, while just 8 percent had women participants exclusively. Among the researchers conducting these studies, women represented only 27 percent of lead authors and 16 percent of senior authors.
Furthermore, the review found that many exercise physiology studies do not fully adhere to the Sex and Gender Equity in Research Guidelines, a framework designed to improve equity and accuracy in research. The majority of articles adhered to just a third of those guidelines, while over half the articles used inaccurate or unclear sex/gender-related language.
According to Dr. MacNutt and her co-authors, these gaps in representation are not only an issue of fairness, but suggest an incomplete understanding of how women respond to physical activity and women’s health overall.
“We hope this paper is a wake-up call — not just for exercise physiology researchers, but also for those in leadership positions at academic institutions, funding agencies and scientific journals,” said Dr. MacNutt. “Shifts in individual researcher behavior are essential, but they aren’t likely to happen without support and action at all levels.”