Intrapersonal and interpersonal factors influencing physical activity in Arab Americans: a social-ecological approach

Physical activity is an important determinant of health throughout the lifespan. Meeting physical activity guidelines has been shown to help improve individuals’ health outcomes as well as prevent or slow the progression of more than 20 chronic health conditions. Previous studies have shown that a large number of Arab Americans do not meet the national physical activity guidelines, and little is known about determinants of physical activity in this population. Guided by the Social Ecological Model (SEM) of McLeroy, Bibeau, Steckler, and Glanz (1988), the broad purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was to explore the determinants of physical activity in Arab Americans. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to describe the physical activity and investigate the relationships between intrapersonal factors and interpersonal factors and physical activity and to examine to what extent do these factors influence physical activity in Arab Americans. A total of 140 Arab Americans were recruited and provided data for the study. Age, gender, marital status, country of origin, length of the United States (U.S.), birthplace, current residence, number of family members, religious affiliation, level of education, income, employment status and type of job, body mass index, and health status were reported. Interestingly, a majority of the participants (58.6%) reported a high level of physical activity. Spearman’s rho correlation was used to assess the associations between physical activity and sample characteristics, intrapersonal factors, and interpersonal factors. Findings revealed statistically significant associations between physical activity level and health status, religiosity, and physical activity self-efficacy. Three simultaneous multiple linear regression models with gamma regression with a log-link function were used to assess to what extent did sample characteristics, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors influence physical activity level. Multiple regression models revealed that employment and health status were the only significant factors influencing physical activity level when accounting for other sample characteristics, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors