A qualitative investigation of the barriers and motivators to physical activity in second-generation Indian and Pakistani women

Objective: To investigate second generation south Asian women’s experiences to physical activity, specifically the attitudes, motivations and barriers.Method: A qualitative methods approach was implemented. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with ten women. The data was analysed using Inductive Thematic Analysis.Results: Six themes were developed; psychological barriers and psychological motivators, personal barriers and personal motivators and external barriers and external motivators. The themes and subthemes largely concurred with past research. Themes such as ‘Past Experiences’ were found to hold as both a barrier and motivator in the same women, which suggests the barriers to physical activity may comprise of a complex interaction of different factors. The findings suggest second-generation women experienced barriers similar to that of women from the general UK population, and this particular generation of women were more likely to resist cultural and traditional norms and expectations usually associated with physical inactivity in first-generation women.Implications: The present study makes a significant and original contribution to the area of South Asian women’s health. It is the first study to investigate the barriers and motivators to physical activity participation in young second-generation South Asian women. The study highlights second generation women may experience a complex interplay of a variety of barriers and motivators to physical activity. Second-generation women are likely to resist cultural and traditional expectations such as attending female only gym and exercise environments, the types of clothing worn, and the expectation of a women’s role as the primary caregiver and housewife. Past research has been unsuccessful in considering and accounting for second generation women’s experiences to physical activity. Past research has fundamentally relied on and generalized research on first generation women. This study brings into focus the complexity of factors which need to be considered by health care professionals in order to increase and improve the physical activity behaviours in south Asian women