Prevalence of physical inactivity and barriers to physical activity among obese attendants at a community health-care center in Karachi, Pakistan
2011

Barriers to Physical Activity Among Obese Individuals in Karachi

Sample size: 350 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Samir Nafisa, Mahmud Sadia, Khuwaja Ali Khan

Primary Institution: Aga Khan University Hospital

Hypothesis

What are the prevalence and barriers to physical activity among obese individuals in Karachi, Pakistan?

Conclusion

The study found a high prevalence of physical inactivity among obese individuals and identified significant barriers that need to be addressed.

Supporting Evidence

  • 72.6% of the participants were found to be physically inactive.
  • Age over 33 years and BMI over 33 kg/m2 were significantly associated with inactivity.
  • Barriers included lack of information, motivation, and access to facilities.

Takeaway

Many obese people in Karachi don't exercise enough, and there are several reasons why they find it hard to be active.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study using a pre-tested questionnaire to assess physical activity and barriers among obese attendants.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to self-reported data and the specific population sampled.

Limitations

The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences and may not represent the general population.

Participant Demographics

{"gender":{"male":163,"female":187},"age_mean":40.73,"bmi_mean":30.58,"marital_status":{"married":302,"single":40,"widowed":8},"education":{"uneducated":47,"below_matric":77,"matric_and_above":226},"family_structure":{"nuclear":158,"extended":192},"family_history_of_obesity":{"yes":222,"no":128}}

Statistical Information

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 68.0%, 77.2%

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1756-0500-4-174

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