We also asked respondents how frequently they engaged in various physical activities. We found that women are much more likely to engage in aerobic exercises than men. Thirty percent said they did so at least once a week, while only 18 percent of the men did. Women also are more likely to walk than men. On the other hand, almost twice as many men as women lift weights once a week or more and nearly four times as many men as women play softball, basketball or football once a week or more.
Men also are more than twice as likely to play tennis regularly as women.
It is obvious that what women are looking for in sports is different from what men are looking for. Every sports editor needs to ask whether women will find coverage of these areas interesting. That is the way to attract women to the sports page. We are not talking only about the Olympics here, either. Swimming and gymnastics have moved into high schools in recent years.