A greater percentage of high-risk participants were MSM, had more sex partners, used drugs and were previously diagnosed with HIV/STI. They indicated a stronger selleck inhibitor desire to become muscular (OR for preferring to be muscular than rich 2.8, 95% CI 1.7 to 4.6). Shaping their body and improving their self-confidence were their main reasons for training, and they also reported
longer hours of anaerobic training. In addition, their knowledge on HIV transmission was inferior to that of non-high-risk participants, they demonstrated a more tolerant attitude towards HIV, and had higher sex desire and loneliness scores. In multivariate analysis, being an MSM, use of drugs and protein supplement powder, strong desire to become muscular, motivation to create a muscular and attractive body, and higher sexual desire score were predictive of high-risk sexual behaviour. Table 2 Comparison between high-risk and non-high-risk participants who train in Tel Aviv gyms Intensive versus non-intensive anaerobic training Participants who performed IAT were younger, had lower BMI, followed a dietary regimen, and more commonly used
protein supplement powders than those who performed moderate anaerobic training (table 3). They were also more likely to be MSM and generally more involved in high-risk sexual behaviour. They were less satisfied with their body shape and demonstrated a stronger desire to have a muscular body. They indicated that their motivation to exercise was to improve their self-confidence and become more physically attractive than those who performed moderate anaerobic training, whose main motivations for training were improving their health and losing weight. Finally, those who performed IAT had a better knowledge of HIV transmission, reported that they were at higher risk of becoming infected with HIV, and had higher sexual desire scores. In multivariate analysis, being an MSM, young and dissatisfied with body shape, having a strong desire to be more attractive, having a high sexual desire score, and using protein supplement powders predicted IAT. Table 3 Comparison
between participants who perform intensive and non-intensive anaerobic training in Tel Aviv gyms Of all 113 men who were defined as high risk, 61.9% (N=70) performed IAT, while 38.1% (N=43) performed moderate anaerobic physical activity (p<0.01). This association was stronger in MSM than heterosexual men (p<0.01 vs p=0.05, Cilengitide respectively). The interaction between MSM and IAT among high-risk participants was multiplicative (see online supplementary appendix 2)—that is, the effect of both being MSM and performing IAT on sexual risk is greater than the individual influence of each independent risk factor. Discussion MSM who exercised in Tel Aviv gyms showed riskier sexual behaviour than heterosexual men and also demonstrated a stronger desire to develop a muscular body.