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A Clinical study in understanding and promoting Physical Activity in South Asian women by Sonia Begum (Msc Health Psychology)

Guest blog by Sonia Begum (Msc health Psychology , Aston University)

Using a combined intervention to understand and promote physical activity among the South Asian population 

Motivation to exercise can be a huge challenge! However there are so many ways people can do this, for example, reminding oneself of all the various health benefits of exercising, thinking positive and taking the smaller steps and slowly building up your levels of physical activity in your everyday lives. This can be done by effectively goal planning. For example, if one is to write down and plan what activity they would do each day of the week to increase levels of exercise, such as walking to school, participating in exercise sessions, getting the stairs instead of the lift, and also writing down some of the barriers we face that stop us exercising like having no time, and thinking of ways to overcome this, can REALLY help motivate you and increase exercise levels.

With the study I conducted on increasing exercise levels among the south Asian population, I used an intervention that had a motivational component and a goal planning component. By talking to participants’ and collecting information on their goal planning, gave me a really good insight into the different  barriers to exercising people experience such as feeling lazy, tired, not having the time, not having anyone to exercise with, appropriate facilities and so on. But getting people to think about the barriers and ways in which these barriers can be overcome, did have a positive effect in participants’ identifying what stops them exercising and what they can do to overcome this and increase their exercise levels. Some of the ways people said they would overcome their barriers were: reminding themselves of the vast health benefits of exercise, exercising with family/friends, better managing your time and researching the appropriate facilities around your local area. Although the study lead to a significant increase in exercise levels among the participants’ who took part in the exercise intervention group, there were also many people who dropped out and didn’t fully participate. There may be many reasons for this as some of the participants` may not have been motivated enough, and targeting those people in particular who are most at risk, can often be a challenge! But getting everyone especially people who are most at risk, more aware of the HUGE range of benefits of exercising, the consequences of not doing enough exercise, the easiness  and various ways/forms of exercise, can help motivate individuals to better plan their exercise regimen and increase exercise levels in their everyday lives. Although this study targeted South Asian participants’, majority were of Pakistani origin, so further research can be conducted with the other south Asian sub groups like those from a Indian/Bangladeshi/Sri Lankan origin. Finally, there may also be communication barriers that we need to be aware of, and techniques/measurements that are used to increase exercise levels should ensure that they are appropriate for the South Asian population

Regarding global mortality, physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth dominant risk factor, accounting for 6% of deaths globally. Chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), have been found to be associated with lack of Physical Activity (PA).

Ethnicity has been found to be an important factor as certain ethnic groups like the south Asian population have increased rates and susceptibility to chronic conditions. The UK south Asian population has a four-to-six fold increased risk of developing T2DM, and a three-to-four fold risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) when compared to the indigenous population. Physical inactivity or low levels of PA have been found to be an important risk factor in the development of chronic conditions like CHD, which shows the importance of PA and how increasing PA levels, especially among the at-risk UK south Asian population, is of great importance, to reduce and prevent chronic conditions.

Overall, this study used a well-known intervention that combined motivational and volitional components to promote PA in a different, under researched south Asian population, where research is much needed. The findings of this study do have implications for campaigns that are aimed at preventing T2DM and CHD, and promoting PA among the UK south Asian population.

Further interventions do need to be implemented in clinical samples and among the general populations around the UK, to investigate whether similar effects of the combined intervention occur in promoting PA levels among the south Asian population, as well targeting other health behaviours like diet. In conclusion, this study supports the idea that utilising a combined motivational and volitional intervention promotes and increases PA among the south Asian population.

 

Abstract:

Aims: This study tested the impact of the combined motivational and volitional intervention based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT, Rogers, 1975), as a way to understand and promote physical activity among the south Asian population.

Method: 52 participants were randomly allocated to either a control group or an intervention group. PMT variables and physical activity were measured at three time-points over a period of four weeks.

Results: The combined motivational and volitional intervention significantly increased physical activity levels among participants in the intervention group at Time 3 but not at Time 2. The intervention did not significantly increase scores on the PMT variables at Time 2 and Time 3.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the combined intervention did lead to  behaviour change where physical activity levels were significantly increased at Time 3. Further research can be undertaken in implementing the combined intervention in clinical samples and among the general populations around the UK, to investigate whether similar effects of the combined intervention occur in promoting PA levels among the south Asian population, as well targeting other health behaviours like diet.

 

Blog moderated by Afsha Malik BPharm(Hons)

Founder-Bloomin Health

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