Intersecting identities of age, gender, religion, and culture in group physical activity: experiences of Pakistani Muslim older adults in Canada

The Pakistani older adult (OA) population in Canada is increasing, yet language, cultural, and gender barriers limit their participation in recreational settings. Ten interviews were conducted with Pakistani older adults aged 65 and older to understand the role of language, gender, and culture in participating in group physical activity (PA) settings. Utilising reflexive thematic analysis we identified five themes: (1) immigration to Canada changes priority and diminishes emphasis on PA and health; (2) social isolation from the wider community as a barrier to group PA; (3) cultural and linguistic familiarity as a facilitator of group PA engagement; (4) women feel safer with other Pakistanis in public settings including PA; and (5) preference of gendered PA settings due to religious and cultural norms. To increase group physical activity participation among Pakistani OAs programmes must address their distinct cultural, language, and gender-related needs.