ISSN 0031-5125 DOI 10.2466/06.PMS.119c29z7 Perceptual & Motor Skills: Exercise & Sport ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ACCULTURATION AMONG TURKISH MIGRANTS IN GERMANY AND ENGLAND 1, 2 CANAN KOCA Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey TENNUR YERLİSU LAPA School of Physical Education and Sports, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey Summary.—Recent literature shows that migrant populations in Western coun- tries are generally less physically active than their host populations. The purpose of the present study was to expand research investigating associations between physi- cal activity (PA) and acculturation and their relationship with several socio-demo- graphic factors among Turkish migrants in Germany and England. The sample consisted of 521 Turkish migrants. Migrant generation, length of residence, and lan- guage proficiency were used as indicators of acculturation. Acculturation was not associated with PA among migrants in Germany and England. PA of migrants was significantly associated with migrant's host country, age, sex, marital status, and education. The total PA of migrants in Germany was higher than that of migrants in England; the large majority of females in both Germany and England had low PA, whereas most males had moderate PA. Seemingly, PA in Turkish migrant popula- tions will not necessarily increase as a result of greater acculturation to the host society. A large body of evidence shows that despite the widely acknowl- edged health benefits of physical activity (PA), non-Western migrants liv- ing in both Europe and the United States (U.S.) tend to be less physically active, and therefore at greater risk for potential health problems associ- ated with lower activity (Kandula & Lauderdale, 2005; Hosper, Klazinga, & Stronks, 2007; Banna, Kaiser, Drake, & Townsend, 2012). Researchers have argued that acculturation may influence participation in PA because the acculturation process presents numerous challenges and changes that could potentially benefit or adversely affect migrants' PA (Dawson, Sundquist, & Johansson, 2005; Wolin, Colditz, Stoddard, Emmons, & So- rensen, 2006; Banna, et al., 2012; Jönsson, Palmer, Ohlsson, Sundquist, & Sundquist, 2013). However, the results of these studies are largely am- biguous regarding the association between acculturation and PA. On the other hand, most studies on this association have been conducted in the U.S. (Evenson, Sarmiento, & Ayala, 2004; Berrigan, Dodd, Troiano, Reeve, & Ballard-Barbash, 2006; Wolin, et al., 2006; Afable-Munsuz, Ponce, Ro- © Perceptual & Motor Skills 2014 2014, 119, 3, 698-716. 1 Address correspondence to Canan Koca, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey or e-mail (canankoca@hacettepe.edu.tr). 2 This study was funded by the Turkish Sciences Academy (TUBA). 03-PMS_Koca_140127.indd 698 03-PMS_Koca_140127.indd 698 03/12/14 4:24 PM 03/12/14 4:24 PM