Physical Activity Buffers the Adverse Impacts of Racial Discrimination on Allostatic Load Among Indigenous Adults

Racial discrimination has been associated with biological dysfunction among ethnic minorities. The extent to which regular physical activity (PA) may buffer this association is unknown.

To examine the association between past-year racial discrimination and allostatic load (AL) stratified by PA within a sample of Indigenous adults.

Data were collected from Indigenous adults attending university in a city in western Canada between 2015 and 2017. The Experiences of Discrimination Scale was used to assess discrimination and the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire assessed PA. A composite of seven biomarkers assessing neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune system function measured AL. Linear regression models examined associations adjusted for confounders (N = 150).

In the insufficiently active group, every 1 point increase in racial discrimination (up to a maximum of 9) resulted in approximately one third of a point increase in AL score. In the sufficiently active group, the association between racial discrimination and AL score was not statistically significant.

A growing body of research suggests racial discrimination is associated with multisystem biological dysregulation and health risks. Increased action to address racism in society is a priority. As that work unfolds, there is a need to identify effective tools that racialized groups can use to buffer the effects of racism on their health. The present findings suggest that engagement in regular PA may attenuate the pernicious effects of discrimination on biological dysfunction.