Being-Muslim and Doing-Islam: Narratives that Influence Physical Activity of Muslim Women in New Zealand

Abstract

Muslim women in New Zealand form an ethnic and religious minority. Research related to the physical activity levels of these women and their health status is sparse, particularly in the New Zealand context. International literature shows that Muslim women are at risk of various diseases related to inactivity. Islam, the religion followed by Muslims, is perceived by many Muslims as a way of life that influences almost all aspects of their lives. Particular understandings of Islam and women’s roles within Islam influence the norms and expectations about health beliefs and physical activity. This study explored the role religion plays in shaping the physical activity of Muslim women in New Zealand. Findings revealed that the women in this study related to Islam in different ways and practised the religion in ways which either facilitated or hindered physical activity.