Duration In Canada And Physical Activity Level Among Canadian Immigrants

Purpose To extend the surveillance of physical activity (PA) in Canada to include the influence of time since immigration within and between ethnic groups. Methods Pooled data from cycles 1.1 (2000/01) and 2.1 (2003) of the cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey (ages 20–64 y; N=174,600) were used for this study. Weighted prevalences of self-reported leisure-time PA (≥3 kcal/kg/day (kkd)) were calculated, and unadjusted and adjusted (age, income and education) multiple logistic regression models were used to quantify the odds of being physically active (≥ .3 kkd) by time since immigration (recent ≤10 yrs, long-term > 10 yrs, non-immigrant) within and between ethnic groups (White referent group). Results The rank order of prevalence of recent immigrants (≤10 yrs) being physically active (≥3 kkd) by ethnicity was: White (21%), Other (19%), Black (19%), Latin American (17%), West Asian/Arab (16%), East/Southeast Asian (14%), South Asian (11%). Recent immigrant Black men and White women had the highest prevalence of being physically active at > 3 kkd (M=27%, F=18%) while South Asian men and women had the lowest prevalence of being physically active (M=14%, F=9%). Overall, recent immigrants (0–10 y) exhibit lower prevalences of being physically active (16%) compared to nonimmigrants (24%), however over time (> 10 yrs) there is an increase in the prevalence of immigrants who are physically active (20%). Some but not all ethnic groups follow this trend. Compared to White immigrants, East/Southeast Asian and South Asian recent immigrants have reduced odds of being physically active independent of age, household income and education (OR=0.5–0.7, p < 0.05). Long-term East/Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Black immigrants demonstrate significantly lower odds of being physically active compared to Whites (OR=0.6–0.7, p < 0.05) whether controlling for covariates or not. Ethnic differences in the prevalence of being physically active, by time since immigration, show similar patterns for men and women. Controlling for age, income and education had only small effects on PA prevalences across ethnicities and immigrant status. Conclusion These results suggest that PA levels vary according to immigrant status and self-ascribed ethnicity in Canadian adults. Accordingly, strategies to promote PA and prevent physical inactivity should consider both ethnicity and time since immigration.