Pacific women's decisions about exercise adoption: utilising the stage-of-exercise-adoption model.

Aims: To analyse the exercise patterns of Pacific women utilising the stage-of-exercise-adoption model, and to investigate how the pros and cons of exercising, exercise self-efficacy, self-reported health, and sociodemographic barriers to exercise influence exercise adoption.

Methods: A non-random questionnaire survey of 106 Pacific women living in the North Island of New Zealand.

Results: Thirty percent of the sample was sedentary, 34% were participating in some exercise, and 35% were exercising regularly. The balance between pros and cons of exercise, exercise self-efficacy, self-rated health and levels of barriers reliably differentiated respondents at extreme stages of exercise adoption. In addition, two specific barriers to exercise (not having friends who exercise, and being unsatisfied with current income) were associated with reduced exercise self-efficacy.

Conclusions: A large number of Pacific women are sedentary, but analysis of the factors associated with exercise adoption level and exercise-related self-confidence provides a platform for future intervention. Exercise adoption interventions tailored specifically to Pacific women should focus on broader community-based systems that include peer-group participation, and emphasise inexpensive options for exercise.