A Feasibility Study Assessing a Culturally Relevant Physical Activity Intervention for Midlife Filipino Women

Introduction: Regular participation in physical activity (PA) can prevent chronic disease and mental illness across the lifespan and during later adulthood. Few PA interventions have been implemented in underserved Filipino American women to address health related outcomes among this population. Purpose: This study assessed the effect of a culturally relevant community-based Zumba® program on anthropometrics, physical fitness, and exercise motivation among midlife Filipino women. Methods: We employed a single-group pretest-posttest design. Twenty-one female participants were recruited from Filipino community-based organizations (CBOs) in the Greater Philadelphia region. Sixteen female participants (N=16, M age = 55.88, SD = ± 9.479) completed the 8-week program, which consisted of attending three Zumba classes per week at the Filipino CBOs, which was led by a certified Zumba instructor of Filipino ethnicity. A paired samples t-test was conducted to detect the differences between the pre-and post-outcome measures. Results: A total of 16 out of 21 participants completed the intervention and the post-intervention assessment (76% retention rate). Adherence to the Zumba classes was 42.46% among participants who completed the post-intervention. With regards to pre- and post- primary outcome measures, there was a significant reduction in body weight (-3.18±2.61 lbs., p 2, p = 0.002), and increase in flexibility (1.93±3.22 cm, p = 0.035) among participants. There were no statistically significant differences in exercise motivation inventory (EMI-2) subscales, except affiliation scores increased among participants overall (-0.750±1.38, p = 0.047). Discussion: The incorporation of this community-based program can be a promising approach for potentially enhancing health outcomes for underserved Asian American populations such as Filipino Americans. Future research can examine the long-term impacts of Zumba and other exercise modalities for chronic disease prevention and management.