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Lifestyle Physical Activity Behavior Among South Asian Indian Immigrants

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Abstract

Little is known of the physical activity behavior of South Asian Indian immigrants (SAIs), though they have more than twice the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes than Whites. This was a cross-sectional descriptive face-to-face survey design, comparing between men and women in leisure time (LTPA), household (HPA), and occupational physical activity (OPA). Participants also wore a Lifecorder EX (NL2200) accelerometer for 7 days. Just over half (51.8 %) of the participants met the recommended PA guidelines (≥150 min moderate-intensity or ≥75 min vigorous-intensity) through LTPA. The average number of daily steps was 6,904.3, which is in the “low active” classification. Increasing lifestyle PA among SAIs is important; PA interventions appealing to gender and culture and with an aerobic component are needed.

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Acknowledgments

This study is funded by: NINR/NIH Grant F31NR012318 and the Rush University Golden Lamp Dissertation Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Manju Daniel, JoEllen Wilbur & Carol Farran

  2. Department of Kinesiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    David Marquez

  3. 351 Hampstead Drive, Sugar Grove, IL, 60554, USA

    Manju Daniel

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  1. Manju Daniel
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Correspondence to Manju Daniel.

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Daniel, M., Wilbur, J., Marquez, D. et al. Lifestyle Physical Activity Behavior Among South Asian Indian Immigrants. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 1082–1089 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9842-4

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