Constraints to Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Negotiation Strategies in Turkish Women

With the changing roles of women in Turkey, opportunities for leisure-time physical activity experiences appear to be increasing. Focus groups and individual interviews with active Turkish women were analyzed as part of a larger project aimed to examine cultural and social factors that influence Turkish women's participation in LTPA. These women experienced several constraints such as family responsibilities, ethic of care, time, social approval and economics. The study also revealed nuances of these constraints reflecting the tension between the traditional and contemporary Turkish society and, in particular, related to perceptions surrounding cultural and religious ideologies. Socioeconomic status coupled with stricter adherence to Islam seemed to underline the differences between these women and Western women studied in previous research.