Physical Activity Status and Related Factors among Middle-Aged Women in West of Iran, Hamadan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Physical inactivity is a major health problem in developing countries. Regular Physical Activity (RPA) can reduce the risk of many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity that are prevalent in middle and old ages specifically in women. The (RPA) status among middle-aged Iranian women is not well known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical activity status and related factors among middle-aged women in Hamadan, a city in western Iran. The participants of this cross-sectional study were comprised of 866 middle-aged women in Hamadan who were selected using a proportional stratified random sampling method in 2015. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire containing demographic characteristics and an International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S).The data were analyzed with SPSS-16 software using Multi- nominal Logistic Regression. The results revealed that about 57% of the study population was inactive or not sufficiently active (light level). Additionally, the results showed that less than a quarter of the study participants (19.3%) exhibited a severe level of physical activity. The associations between RPA and age, education level and job were significant (P<0.05). The chi-square test revealed a significant difference in RPA with regards to residency locations (P<0.05). The demographic variables relationship with physical activity appears to be important and these findings can be a prelude to design of effective intervention strategies in promoting physical activity.