A new study out of the University of Hawaiʻi suggests outrigger canoe paddling may be a promising physical activity to address chronic disease disparities in the state.
The study found the sport to be a popular activity in the islands with one out of five Hawaiʻi residents having participated in outrigger canoe paddling.
Paddling has particularly high popularity among Native Hawaiians, where 42% have joined in this activity.
The study also found that 31% of Pacific Islanders had paddled in their lifetime.
UH Mānoa Public Health researcher Tetine Sentell said these findings have important implications for improving physical activity and well-being in Hawai‘i.
"You know in paddling there's the exercise you're getting, but also the healing nature of being out on the ocean, being part of a team, working hard together, connecting to history and culture. And this really restores and creates health from a multi-level approach involving physical, mental, spiritual health."
Sentell said that these benefits are true for many other types of culturally relevant types of physical activities including hula, surfing and spearfishing.
"Really this is a way to think about promoting well-being activities with this broad perspective around strengths that are already in communities and people are already excited about and reduce the rates of chronic disease or how people manage their illnesses," she said.
The study published in May by the Centers for Disease Control was a collaboration among the UH Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, the state Department of Health and the John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Department of Native Hawaiian Health.
Read the full study here.
