“Everyone has a weight complex”: experiences of participation in physical activity in regional, rural and remote Australia

There are many complex and interrelated personal and structural benefits and constraints to being physically active. In this research, we invited people living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) environments of Australia to share their experiences of being active both currently and historically via an in-depth open-ended online survey. This study focuses on the perspectives of 139 participants, 92 of whom identified as female, 43 identified as male and 2 identified as gender fluid. Our participants were aged 18–76 years. By using an interpretivist lens and applying the feminist, weight inclusive Well Now approach (Aphramor, 2018) as a framework to understand these experiences, we identified that this group of people enjoyed the benefits of being active that included physical, mental, and emotional health benefits, as well as social benefits. Participants also shared stories about exclusion, discrimination, and reluctance to participate in various forms of physical activity. Our findings may help inform the work of practitioners who seek to use a weight inclusive approach in RRR areas and highlight the need to support individuals to find safe spaces and meaningful opportunities to be active.