Assessing physical activity and related correlates among adults in Hawai'i

Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, some mental illnesses and some cancer. Despite the well-known benefits of physical activity, about half of the adults in the United States and Hawai'i do not get enough. Rates of physical activity differ greatly among ethnic groups and interventions to increase physical activity may need to be tailored for specific ethnicities. In this study, 3,588 adults living in Hawai'i completed a random digit dial survey on their physical activity level. Native Hawaiians and Whites were more likely to be active than Chinese, Filipino and Japanese respondents. Multivariate logistic regressions analyses eliminated differences between Whites, Filipinos and Chinese respondents; however, Native Hawaiians were still more likely to report meeting physical activity guidelines and Japanese were less likely. Other significant predictors included being younger, male, having a job involving heavy labor, being in the normal weight range, being in good or excellent health, having high self-efficacy, spending less time sitting, and walking a dog more frequently. Differences in meeting physical activity guidelines can be used in planning future public health campaigns.