Lifelong physical activity patterns of sedentary Mexican American women

Increasing physical activity, especially for high-risk groups, is a national priority; yet little is known about the lifelong patterns of physical activity of older Mexican American women. This article describes Mexican American women's current sedentary status by reviewing their physical activity history. Interventions aimed at promoting health in older adults require an understanding of the impact of prior experiences on current health behaviors. Thus, in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 71 Mexican American women (aged 50 years or older) recruited from local churches and senior centers. Household, occupational, and leisure activities from age 15 years to present time were reviewed. A lifelong pattern of low occupational and leisure activity and low to moderate household activity were found, with sedentary occupations and no leisure activities predominating. Most believed that current household, occupational and leisure activities provide enough physical activity, thus influencing participation in exercise programs or activities. Attempts to increase physical activity for this group need to begin by teaching them age-appropriate and culturally acceptable physical activities.