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WSI International Conference
Physical Activity and Health Guidelines
for Women: National and International Considerations Related to
Ethnicity and Race
St. Louis, USA, June 2, 2002
Group1 Report - Task: Establish a research
agenda for Physiological and Medical issues:
What are the most pressing research needs?
PHASE 1: IDENTIFICATION OF KEY
ISSUES
Although data is now becoming more extensively available on causes
of death in women across the world the interplay between physical
activity, all-cause mortality and disease risk is still relatively
unknown in developing and emerging nations. This lack of data in
conjunction with the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) in these countries further emphasizes the need to identify
and reduce leading risk factors for such diseases.
In order to obtain the data that will enable us to characterize
the relationship between physical activity and women’s health
we must first broaden our current compendium of physical activity
to reflect the full diverse range of activities (transport, domestic,
physical labour, cultural, sport and recreation) that women engage
in across the world. It is only once the full cultural breadth of
activity is known that we can completely understand the role that
physical activity plays in the risk of both communicable and non-communicable
diseases.
- develop an instrument to determine physical activity level that
fully reflects the diversity of activity in which women participate
in across the world.
- ascertain the energy expenditure associated with diverse activities
- using the newly developed instrument conduct population surveillance
studies of physical activity – link with disease
In many nations of the world cultural barriers prevent the participation
of girls and women in physical activity. These barriers may be a
function of gender, socio-economic status, a lack of awareness of
the potential benefits of physical activity and its relationship
to disease, a lack of awareness of the risk factors for many NCDs
and/or cultural dichotomies that promote the enhancement of risk
factors (i.e. in many nations obesity is looked upon from a cultural
perspective as “positive”). ASSUMING that a positive link
between health and physical activity remains amongst women from
multiple cultural and ethnic backgrounds a coordinated program of
education about these benefits that addresses cultural issues and
recognizes diversity is paramount.
- education programs that target specific needs with respect
to women’s health knowledge, perceptions of physical activity
and awareness of the health benefits of physical activity
- incorporate the use of visible demonstration projects
- link with other international health oriented projects
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