IJES Self-Study on Participants’ Sex in Exercise Science: Sex-Data Gap and Corresponding Author Survey

Authors

Matthew J. Garver, University of Central MissouriFollow
James W. Navalta, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Michel J.H. Heijnen, University of North Carolina at WilmingtonFollow
Dustin W. Davis, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Joel D. Reece, Brigham Young University HawaiiFollow
Whitley J. Stone, Western Kentucky UniversityFollow
Shannon R. Siegel, University of San FranciscoFollow
T. Scott Lyons, University of North AlabamaFollow

Other Subject Area

Invited Editorial + Original Research

Abstract

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(6): 364-376, 2023. A sex-data gap exists between females and males within the sport and exercise science literature, and implications are far-reaching. The purpose of this work was to (a) heed recent calls and scrutinize data from within IJES to address the gap and (b) gain insight on self-identified sex of IJES corresponding authors. The present self-study included all published manuscripts from 2008 through 2021. A total of 851 publications were included, and 806 (94.7%) reported data on participant sex. There was a difference between publications that included only females (n = 132) versus only males (n = 215), and three publications reported data on sex according to non-binary identifications (0.4%). There was an overall difference between the number of female (n = 54,153; 35.9%) and male (n = 96,890; 64.1%) participants. To gain insight on self-identified sex of corresponding authors, we performed an IRB-approved research study. Among 761 unique corresponding authors, 168 individuals provided 157 usable responses—58 biological females (36.9%) and 99 biological males (63.1%). We fully support the prerogative of researchers to ethically conduct investigations and encourage open-mindedness and inclusion in future research. With data revealing an approximate one-third female (36%) and two-thirds male (64%) composition, and corresponding author feedback on self-identified sex being similar (36.9% and 63.1%, respectively), we propose a new concept that should be analyzed: is the sex-data gap representative of the composition of the field? We are not excusing the sex-data gap issue as if it cannot be addressed, and we urge others to join us in researching this line of inquiry.

Recommended Citation

Garver, Matthew J.; Navalta, James W.; Heijnen, Michel J.H.; Davis, Dustin W.; Reece, Joel D.; Stone, Whitley J.; Siegel, Shannon R.; and Lyons, T. Scott (2023) "IJES Self-Study on Participants’ Sex in Exercise Science: Sex-Data Gap and Corresponding Author Survey," International Journal of Exercise Science: Vol. 16 : Iss. 6, Pages 364 - 376.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70252/DZZC8088
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol16/iss6/6