Giving young Emirati women a voice: Participatory action research on physical activity

Berger, Gabriella; Peerson, Anita

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2008.03.003

Cited by 64 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The socio-cultural barriers observed by the participants, particularly the restrictions for women, are seen in other countries within the GCC (18)(19)(20) . For example, a recent qualitative study from the United Arab Emirates reported that women do not have space at home for indoor exercise and families do not allow them to go for a walk alone (18) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Addressing physical inactivity in Omani adults: perceptions of public health managers

Mabry

Al-Busaidi

Reeves

et al. 2013

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To explore barriers and solutions to addressing physical inactivity and prolonged sitting in the adult population of Oman. Design: Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews that took place from October 2011 to January 2012. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling. Data collection and analysis was an iterative process; later interviews explored emerging themes. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed and continued until data saturation; this occurred by the tenth interviewee. Thematic content analysis was carried out, guided by an ecological model of health behaviour. Setting: Muscat, Oman. Subjects: Ten mid-level public health managers. Results: Barriers for physical inactivity were grouped around four themes: (i) intrapersonal (lack of motivation, awareness and time); (ii) social (norms restricting women's participation in outdoor activity, low value of physical activity); (iii) environment (lack of places to be active, weather); and (iv) policy (ineffective health communication, limited resources). Solutions focused on culturally sensitive interventions at the environment (building sidewalks and exercise facilities) and policy levels (strengthening existing interventions and coordinating actions with relevant sectors). Participants' responses regarding sitting time were similar to, but much more limited than those related to physical inactivity, except for community participation and voluntarism, which were given greater emphasis as possible solutions to reduce sitting time. Conclusions: Given the increasing prevalence of chronic disease in Oman and the Arabian Gulf, urgent action is required to implement gender-relevant public health policies and programmes to address physical inactivity, a key modifiable risk factor. Additionally, research on the determinants of physical inactivity and prolonged sitting time is required to guide policy makers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Addressing physical inactivity in Omani adults: perceptions of public health managers

Mabry

Al-Busaidi

Reeves

et al. 2013

Public Health Nutr.

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“…When talking about PA the participating students often mentioned different kinds of team sports such as football and basketball. These sports were also among the most mentioned examples of PA in a study among Emirati College women from 2009 24 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Physical activity and diet among adolescents of Kathmandu, Nepal: Knowledge and attitudes

Pahlm

Svensson

Joshi

et al. 2014

J. Kathmandu Med. Coll.

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Background: Non-communicable diseases are becoming more prevalent in Nepal and many risk factors attributing to these diseases are behaviour-related and therefore preventable. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes among students of grade eight and nine in Kathmandu toward physical activity and diet and their knowledge about how it affects their health. Methods: We conducted four focus groups that included 24 students to explore knowledge and attitudes toward physical activity among them. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim later. Method described by K. Malterud, inspired by Giorgi's phenomenological method was used to analyze the transcribed material. Results: Participants considered physical activity to be benefi cial for health in many ways. They also believed that healthy food is important to avoid diseases. Several participants mentioned that a balanced lifestyle is essential for a healthy life. Conclusion: Though the students saw the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet to avoid diseases and stay healthy, most of them did not connect a lack of physical activity and unhealthy diet to possible noncommunicable diseases in the future.

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“…Extensive research into decreasing levels of physical activity in the UAE shows that particularly for women, social and cultural factors, as well as climate, may act as barriers to restrict outdoor activities (Al Kaabi et al 2009;Berger and Peerson 2009;Henry, Lightowler, and Hourani 2004). Ayesha comments, ''The problem is walking, there's nowhere to walk here.…”

Section: Chronicities: Changing Patterns Of Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Structural violence is certainly an issue for many developing and developed countries. Despite its wealth, this may be so for the UAE, revealed in the consistently higher figures for female obesity and metabolic syndrome, the highest risk factors for diabetes (Mabry et al 2010;Berger and Peerson 2009;Henry et al 2004). While chronicities of modernity exist for all Emiratis, protective factors, such as access to physical exercise (particularly strenuous exercise), are limited for many women, as are opportunities for autonomous behavior, a major feature in reducing stress levels.…”

Section: 'I Am' Diabeticmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Oh God, Save Us from Sugar”: An Ethnographic Exploration of Diabetes Mellitus in the United Arab Emirates

Baglar¹

2013

Medical Anthropology

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This article explores diabetes mellitus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with an analysis of gift exchange and hospitality revealing how rapid environmental and economic transformations have led to chronicities of physical activity, food, and stress; uniting at a critical point in time to produce chronicities of modernity that precipitate diabetes. The high value of commensality and the association between food (particularly sugar) and honor offers insight into the motives for both the quantity and quality of food consumed. Emirati understandings of self and disease confirm the anthropological adage that disease and illness are not the same and suggests there is the potential to stem the growth of diabetes in the UAE with greater attention to structural issues through an anthropological understanding of the sociocultural conditions in which it thrives.

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Giving young Emirati women a voice: Participatory action research on physical activity

Cited by 64 publications

References 35 publications

Addressing physical inactivity in Omani adults: perceptions of public health managers

Addressing physical inactivity in Omani adults: perceptions of public health managers

Physical activity and diet among adolescents of Kathmandu, Nepal: Knowledge and attitudes

“Oh God, Save Us from Sugar”: An Ethnographic Exploration of Diabetes Mellitus in the United Arab Emirates

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