Physical activity in older Asian Indians living in the Unites States : barriers and motives

This paper investigates the motives for (Study 1) and barriers to (Study 2) participation in physical activity by older Asian Indian immigrants to the United States. In Study 1, 100 older Asian Indians living in the United States completed the Participation Motivation Questionnaire for Older Adults. The most highly reported motives for participation were based around medical reasons and keeping healthy and active. Analyses of variance showed significant differences in reasons for participation in physical activity based on gender and age. In Study 2, 10 sedentary older Asian Indians living in the United States participated in focus group discussions. They viewed physical activity as being an integral part of everyday activity. Barriers identified included existing health problems, risk of injury, and issues associated with their new lifestyles in the United States. These culture-specific findings should be considered when developing interventions to encourage physical activity.