Perceived barriers to exercise in Hispanic adults by level of activity

Abstract

Background: National data show that Hispanics report low levels of physical activity. Limited information on barriers to exercise in this population exists in the literature.

Methods: Surveys were administered to 398 Hispanic participants from two colonias in South Texas to investigate self-reported levels of and perceived barriers to exercise. One-way ANOVA by level of activity and t tests by gender were conducted. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine patterns by level of activity.

Results: Results show that 67.6% of respondents did not meet physical activity recommendations of at least 150 minutes per week, as compared with 55.6% nationally. Overall, the most frequently reported barriers included "lack of time," "very tired," and "lack of self-discipline" to exercise. An exploratory factor analysis of the barriers reported by participants not meeting physical activity recommendations resulted in a 3-factor structure. A unidimensional scale was found for participants meeting recommendations.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that future interventions should be specific to gender and exercise level to address the high prevalence of inactivity in this population.