Physical Activity Among Muslim Women in Majority and Minority Settings: A Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitators

Authors:
Preprint
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Purpose Physical activity (PA) is central to health and wellbeing, yet the physical activity participation of Muslim women remains understudied in the global public health literature. This mixed-methods systematic review aimed to assess the perceived barriers and facilitators to PA among Muslim women in Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority settings. Methods A systematic search of EBSCO, PubMed, and Google Scholar identified qualitative and quantitative studies (2000–2024) involving Muslim women aged 18 years and older, quality-appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) for qualitative designs and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for quantitative studies. Qualitative findings were analysed thematically and mapped onto the five levels of the Socioecological Model (SEM) to examine cross-level interactions; quantitative results were synthesised narratively. Results Eleven studies (nine qualitative, two quantitative; N = 816 women aged 18–55) across eight countries were included. Three themes were identified: modesty, visibility, and the absence of safe space; gatekeeping by family and community; and infrastructure, climate, and policy neglect, operating through compounding SEM-level mechanisms. Facilitators included religious motivation, health awareness, family support, and culturally tailored programming; barrier-facilitator configurations varied between Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority contexts. Conclusions A context-sensitive, multi-level, tailored approach is essential to promote physical activity among Muslim women. Faith-sensitive, gender-segregated initiatives that simultaneously address structural, organisational, and community factors offer the most promising pathway for equitable participation and wellbeing.

This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit: