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Life sciences · Journal article
Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders · August 10, 2026
Reinforces what was already believed, rather than introducing something new.
This national cross-sectional survey of 25,962 Iranian adults found that 9.5% report perceived lack of sports facility availability, with substantial variation by province and consistent inverse associations with urban residence, older age (females), employment, marriage status, and wealth. The findings confirm established socioeconomic determinants of exercise access and identify geographic inequities requiring policy intervention.
Secondary analysis of national cross-sectional surveillance survey. 25,962 adults aged 18 and above from all Iranian provinces, stratified by sex, age, residence (urban/rural), marital status, employment, and wealth quintile.. n = 25,962. All provinces of Iran.
Prevalence of perceived lack of availability: 9.5% (95% CI: 9.1, 9.9) Urban residents had lower odds of reporting lack of availability versus rural residents (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.57 males; AOR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.58 females) Older females (≥65 years) had lower odds versus females under 45 (AOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.49)
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Public health professionals and policymakers should recognize that sports facility access inequities in Iran are patterned by geography, socioeconomic status, and residence type. Targeted expansion of affordable facilities in rural and low-wealth areas, particularly in eastern and southeastern regions, is needed to address disparities in physical activity opportunity.
A large, well-designed cross-sectional survey with rigorous multivariable analysis confirms known socioeconomic and geographic barriers to sports facility access in a nationally representative population.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Public health professionals and policymakers should recognize that sports facility access inequities in Iran are patterned by geography, socioeconomic status, and residence type. Targeted expansion of affordable facilities in rural and low-wealth areas, particularly in eastern and southeastern regions, is needed to address disparities in physical activity opportunity.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Access to sports facilities is a critical determinant of sufficient physical activity (PA) and is influenced by many socioeconomic status (SES) factors. This study aimed to assess the perceived availability of suitable places for exercise and physical activity (PA) and their determinants among Iranians aged 18 and above from all provinces. This study is a secondary analysis based on Iran's 2021 STEPwise Approach to Non-Communicable Risk Factors Surveillance (STEPS) survey. Factors including PA, access to sports facilities from the perspective of individuals, and SES factors were assessed through standardized questionnaires. Associations between predictors and lack of sports facility access were analyzed via sex-specific multivariable logistic regression. A total of 25,962 participants from the STEPS-2021 survey were included in this analysis. The mean age (95% CI) of the participants was 46.0 years (45.8, 46.2), and females constituted 54.0% (95% CI: 53.3, 54.7) of the participants. The prevalence of perceived lack of availability among the participants was 9.5 (95% CI: 9.1,9.9). Considerable provincial differences were observed, with the eastern and southeastern regions showing the highest prevalence. The odds of a lack of availability from the perspective of the participants were lower among older females in comparion to females under 45 (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.76 for 45-64; AOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.49 for ≥ 65), urban residents in compasrion to rural residents (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.57 males; AOR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.58 females), married (AOR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.93) and divorced/widowed females (AOR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.53, 0.86) in comparison to single ones, employed females vs. unpaid work (AOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.81), and the richest wealth group vs. the poorest (AOR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55,0.94 males; AOR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.76 females). Access to suitable places for exercise and physical activity in Iran is affected by sex, age, SES, occupation, and geography. Females, rural residents, and low-wealth groups face barriers. Expanding facilities, ensuring affordability, and adopting policies that involve community and public-private initiatives are needed to increase PA and reduce health burdens. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-026-02048-6.
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