Abstract
A growing body of literature suggests that experiences of discrimination are associated with poorer engagement in physical activity (PA) and may contribute to various health disparities that disproportionately impact marginalized communities. To date, researchers have predominantly examined experiences of discrimination in isolation, which limits an understanding of the PA behaviour of individuals who experience overlapping forms of discrimination. The present study utilized a person-centered approach to (i) uncover the existence of distinct classes of discrimination, and to (ii) determine whether indicators of PA behaviour were associated with class membership. Undergraduate students (n = 743; 77.4% women, % 60.7% racialized) completed surveys on experiences of perceived discrimination, and weekly reports of leisure time PA over a 6-week period. Latent Class Analysis revealed a 3-class solution, with individuals characterized as experiencing discrimination based on; (1) physical appearance (10.0%), (2) race and shade of skin (25.8%), and (3) intersectional identities (64.2%). Individuals who experienced intersectional discrimination reported the highest levels of PA, followed by those experiencing appearance discrimination and racial discrimination, though group differences were not statistically significant. These results contrast existing literature on perceived discrimination and PA behaviour, as well as the key tenets of intersectionality theory. Further investigation is warranted to gain a deeper insight into the mechanisms which may have brought about this result. While person-centered approaches should be considered to obtain nuanced and comprehensive understandings of discrimination, further research is needed to examine the effects of intersectional forms of discrimination on PA behaviour.
