This study describes the physical activity behavior of Korean immigrant women and examines the relationships among leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) behavior, background, and intrapersonal correlates of behavior in Korean immigrant women in the United States using a cross-sectional survey design. A convenience sample of Midwestern Korean immigrant women completed the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in Korean. Among the participants, 78% were physically active, meeting the Healthy People 2010 goal for physical activity when all physical activity behaviors were considered, whereas 23% met the goal when only LTPA was considered. Women who were older, did not have a child younger than 5, used environmental resources for physical activity, had lower depressive symptoms, and had higher confidence for overcoming exercise barriers were spent more time in LTPA. Accommodating those with young children, enhancing environmental resource use, and improving exercise self-efficacy are important considerations for interventions aimed at increasing LTPA in Korean immigrant women.

Physical inactivity is prevalent among ethnic minority women including Korean American (KA) women. We explored the barriers to and facilitators of physical activity (PA) and strategies to promote continued engagement in a PA program with a component of an online community. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study of 37 KA middle-aged women who used to be physically inactive and participated in an exit interview following postintervention visit. Using a thematic analysis approach to analyze the data, we found the individual, interpersonal, and neighborhood/community-level barriers to and facilitators of PA; social influence and social support-related themes were evident. Participants expressed benefit and interest in lifestyle modification using social media. Such program that reduces the barriers and reinforces the facilitators may be able to help motivate KA women to increase their PA.

Promoting self-management for healthy behaviors might be effective for obese or overweight women to prevent metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases, if it is tailored to their health needs.