Cultural Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Exercise

The reading "Cultural Beliefs and Attitudes of Black and Hispanic College-Age Women Toward Exercise" greatly resounded with me. I was never aware of the influence that my ethnicity and how my parents were brought up influenced my approach towards exercise. After reading this article, I've noticed all the little ways my ethnicity clouds my opinions concerning exercise.
An Asian woman, specifically Taiwanese, I was raised to think of exercise as a leisurely activity. I have never seen my parents go to the gym or play a sport competitively. They do not have a daily exercise routine or count calories. Most Taiwanese people think that taking a 15 minute walk down the street is enough exercise to benefit you for the week. The odd thing is that Taiwanese culture puts a lot of emphasis on body type and looks. They believe that slender is better and that a size 6 is too big. The largest size that most stores in Taiwan carry is a size 4. Parents, aunts, and even family friends will tell you without remorse how "fat" you look, when you've only gained five pounds. They will tell you that you eat to much and that you should exercise more, but they won't ever cite the health benefits of a proper diet and exercise as a reason. It is all about outer appearance. I've recently become more health conscious and have never felt better in my life. I didn't know why I didn't try to exercise more before or eat healthier, but now after reading this article and hearing my thoughts echoed in the quotes of the women interviewed, I understand more of why I used to think of exercise in the way that I did.

Charlene Chang
KIN 338-01
T Th 9:30-10:45 AM