Co-Designing a Physical Activity Program to help South Asian Families Stay Heart-Healthy

Doctor Susan Paudel Subedi, Deakin University

Postdoctoral Fellowship

Years funded: 2026 - 2027

South Asians - born in or with ancestral roots in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives or Afghanistan - are Australia’s fastest-growing migrant group and among those at highest risk of heart disease. South Asian women face additional challenges to prevention, diagnosis and treatment due to language barriers and cultural expectations. Physical activity is one of the best ways to prevent heart disease, yet South Asian mothers and children have some of the lowest physical activity levels in Australia. Unfortunately, existing physical activity programs fail to consider their specific cultural and language needs, making participation difficult.

As a researcher of South Asian background, I aim to culturally adapt an evidence-based mobile health intervention, Let’s Grow, to make physical activity accessible, culturally relevant, and acceptable for South Asian mothers and toddlers. This will be the first culturally tailored digital physical activity program designed specifically for South Asian mothers and children and will overcome geographical, logistical and socioeconomic barriers. A ‘Cultural Adaptation Toolkit’ will also be created to guide health professionals in designing/culturally adapting lifestyle interventions for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups.

The project consists of the following studies: 1. Understanding how South Asian mothers use the existing mainstream Let’s Grow app– I will analyse existing app data (n=40) (such as pages visited, features used, modules completed) and conduct interviews with South Asian mothers (n~10) who have used Let’s Grow to understand what works well and what needs improvement. 2. Testing existing Let’s Grow app with new users – I will invite South Asian mothers (n~10) who have not used Let’s Grow before to explore the app and share their thoughts on its usability, relevance, and cultural fit. 3. Co-designing an improved version – I will conduct six online interactive workshops with South Asian mothers to collect feedback, re-design the app and test Let’s Grow app modifications related to features, design, language, visuals and culturally relevant content. 4. Creating a Cultural Adaptation Toolkit – I will engage with CALD stakeholders (organisations, local councils, and early childhood practitioners) in a consultation workshop to prepare a ‘Cultural Adaptation Toolkit’.

Results will be shared through research articles, conferences, policy briefs, presentations, short reports to CALD organisations and local councils and posted on Deakin University’s website. Overall, this project directly addresses health inequities by making physical activity interventions culturally relevant and accessible, supporting early prevention and long-term heart health.