Relationship between Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study among Low-Income Housewives in Kuala Lumpur

Nur Zakiah Mohd Saat, Siti Aishah Hanawi, Nor M. F. Farah, Hazilah Mohd Amin, Hazlenah Hanafiah and Nur Shazana Shamsulkamar
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Nur Zakiah Mohd Saat: Biomedical Science Programme, Centre of Community Health (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Siti Aishah Hanawi: SOFTAM, Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Nor M. F. Farah: Occupational Therapy Programme, Centre of Community Health (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Hazilah Mohd Amin: SOFTAM, Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Hazlenah Hanafiah: Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA Sabah Branch, Kota Kinabalu Campus, Sabah 88997, Malaysia
Nur Shazana Shamsulkamar: Biomedical Science Programme, Centre of Community Health (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: Cardiovascular disease is a significant public health concern worldwide, including in Malaysia. Various attempts have been made to resolve this issue. One of the most important methods of controlling cardiovascular risk factors is physical exercise. However, today’s women, especially housewives, are often identified by a lack of physical activity. This is alarming to society, as cardiovascular disease can affect the quality of their life. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors among low-income housewives in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 63 housewives participated in this cross-sectional study. All participating housewives were asked to fill out a sociodemographic questionnaire and the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). To evaluate cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometric measurements and blood samples were taken. Findings showed that an average of 70.5 ± 232.4 min/week was spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which indicated a low level of physical activity. Data showed that 90.5% of the subjects had low physical activity, 6.3% were moderate, and 3.2% were considered as having a high level of physical activity. For body mass index (BMI), 58.7% of the respondents were obese, 28.6% were overweight (29.10 ± 5.67 kg m –2 ), and 81.0% of subjects had a waist circumference (WC) value above the normal range (92.74 ± 16.40 cm). A two-way ANOVA test revealed significant mean differences between systolic blood pressure (mm/Hg) and age groups ( p > 0.05). Nevertheless, there was a significant association between MVPA and cardiovascular risk factors using negative binomial regression ( p < 0.01). The findings of this study highlight the need for health promotional programs to raise awareness, educate, and engage low-income housewives in lifestyle-enhancing behaviors.

Keywords: cardiovascular risk factors; physical activity; housewives; obesity and overweight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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