Skip to main content

Gender-related Sociocultural Factors Impacting Physical Activity among Female South Asians: A Scoping Review

Buy Article:

$44.00 + tax (Refund Policy)

Objective: In this review paper, we describe the literature on the impact of gender-related social and cultural factors on physical activity (PA) among South Asian women and girls. Methods: We searched 5 databases, identified 1768 articles, and included 13 articles in our review. We categorized themes based on 3 levels of influence: microsystem (interpersonal), mesosystem (en- vironmental interactions), and macrosystem (cultural beliefs/values). Results: The most common facilitator was social support (microsystem) – husbands for women and parents for girls. The most common barrier was culturally dictating gender roles that discouraged PA (macrosystem). Culturally acceptable forms of PA (eg, religious dance, daily prayers) and modesty norms varied by religion. Perceptions about participating in PA varied between first- and second-generation immigrants (mesosystem); however, the majority perceived women's and girls' PA participation as "Westernized" behavior. Conclusions: Limited intervention studies have aimed to increase the PA of South Asian women and girls. Such interventions must address gender roles and norms and test whether enhanced social support and culturally acceptable forms of PA are effective strategies to increase PA levels in this population.

Keywords: GENDER NORMS; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; SCOPING REVIEW; SOUTH ASIANS; WOMEN'S HEALTH

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Center for Community Health, Institute of Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States 2: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States 3: Center for Community Health, Institute of Public Health and Medicine, and Department of Medicine, and Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States

Publication date: December 1, 2024

This article was made available online on January 24, 2025 as a Fast Track article with title: "Gender-related Sociocultural Factors Impacting Physical Activity among Female South Asians: A Scoping Review".

More about this publication?
  • Health Behavior and Policy Review is a rigorously peer-reviewed scholarly bi-monthly publication that seeks manuscripts on health behavior or policy topics that represent original research, including papers that examine the development, advocacy, implementation, or evaluation of policies around specific health issues. The Review especially welcomes papers that tie together health behavior and policy recommendations. Articles are available through subscription or can be ordered individually from the Health Behavior and Policy Review site.
  • Editorial Board
  • Information for Authors
  • Submit a Paper
  • Subscribe to this Title
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Associate Editors
  • Institutional Subscription
  • PDF Policy
  • Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites
  • Access Key
  • Free content
  • Partial Free content
  • New content
  • Open access content
  • Partial Open access content
  • Subscribed content
  • Partial Subscribed content
  • Free trial content