Physical activity interventions for African American women for health and wellness: A scoping review

Abstract

African American women are less likely to be physically active which is one of several lifestyle influential factors affecting this population’s health. However, aspects of wellness such as movement, behavioral health, breathing and sleep quality are not being measured but might also contribute to overall health. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify the physical and psychological characteristics of recent physical activity interventions for African American women by documenting intervention characteristics, mapping their results, and acknowledging potential gaps that can be used for future interventions where the emphasis is not only on physical activity but also functional movement and wellness. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Included articles focused on aspects of intrinsic motivation, social support, and goal setting to increase physical activity levels. Group discussions, messaging, and exercise sessions were the most common activities with a focus on providing health and physical activity information.