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Physical activity and immigrant status: evidence from the Canadian Community Health Survey.

BACKGROUND
The immigrant population in Canada is diverse and growing, yet little is known about their physical activity behaviour and how it changes as they adapt to a Canadian lifestyle. This study extends the surveillance of physical activity 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 = 171,513) were used for this study. Weighted prevalences of self-reported leisure-time physical activity (> or = 3 kcal x kg(-1) x day(-1) (kkd)) were calculated, and unadjusted and adjusted (age, income, education, BMI) multiple logistic regression models were used to quantify the odds of being physically active (PA) (> or = 3 kkd) by time since immigration (recent immigrant < or = 10 yrs, immigrant >10 yrs, non-immigrant) within and between ethnic groups (White referent group).


RESULTS
The prevalence of recent immigrants (< or = 10 yrs) being PA (> or = 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 PA (M = 27%, F = 18%) while South Asian men and women had the lowest prevalence (M = 14%, F = 9%). There is a gradient in the prevalence of being PA with recent immigrants (16%) < immigrants (20%) < non-immigrants (24%). Ethnic differences in the prevalence of being PA by time since immigration show similar patterns for men and women. Controlling for age, income, education and BMI had only small effects on the odds of being physical active across ethnicities and immigrant status.


CONCLUSION
These results suggest that physical activity levels vary according to immigrant status and self-ascribed ethnicity in Canadian adults. Strategies to promote physical activity and prevent physical inactivity should consider both ethnicity and time since immigration.