Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Factors Influencing Physical Activity in Arab Americans

Many Arab Americans do not meet the physical activity (PA) guidelines despite evidence to support health benefits.

We aimed to investigate the relationships between PA and sample characteristics, intrapersonal factors, and interpersonal factors and examine to what extent these factors influence PA in Arab Americans. A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design using a self-administered questionnaire with 140 Arab Americans was used. Spearman ρ correlation was used to assess the associations between PA and sample characteristics, intrapersonal factors, and interpersonal factors. Three simultaneous gamma regression models were used to assess to what extent these factors jointly influenced PA.

Most participants (58.6%) reported a high level of PA. Significant positive associations were found between PA and health status, religiosity, and PA self-efficacy (rs = 0.21, P = .019; rs = 0.19, P = .029; and rs = 0.28, P = .003, respectively). Multiple regression models revealed that being employed (model 1: Exp[b] = 1.87, P = .030; Model 3: Exp[b] = 1.77, P = .043) and having chronic conditions (model 1: Exp[b] = 1.88, P = .031; model 2: Exp[b] = 1.96, P = .034; model 3: Exp[b] = 1.91, P = .047) were associated with greater PA, when accounting for other sample characteristics, intrapersonal factors, and interpersonal factors.

Presence of chronic health conditions and employment status should be considered when promoting PA in Arab Americans. Future research is needed to explore the relationship between religiosity, PA self-efficacy, and PA in this population.