ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts the commonalities as well as makes distinctions between the groups relative to physical activity. Understanding the barriers and incentives to physical activity among Asian American populations requires examining their experiences from multiple levels. The chapter examines the role of immigration and acculturation on physical activity and how it plays out at the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels by considering stages of life, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and gender. It considers the community-level factors by examining the neighborhoods and built environments in which Asian Americans live. In a study on Asian American adults living in California, Filipino Americans and Vietnamese Americans were the most likely to report neighborhood safety as a significant barrier to physical activity. Asian Americans may encounter adaptation challenges such as limited English proficiency (LEP), discrimination experiences, limited social networks, and cultural and racial/ethnic differences that may pose barriers to leisure physical activity.
