Eduardo E. Bustamante

Leisure time and occupational physical activity among racial or ethnic minorities

PURPOSE One of the factors distinguishing non-Latino blacks (NLB) and Latinos from non-Latino whites (NLW) is higher rates of occupational physical activity (OPA) and less participation in leisure time physical activity (LTPA). We examined participation in OPA and LTPA among employed individuals and the relationship between OPA and LTPA across select racial or ethnic groups and Latino subgroups. METHODS We pooled data from 2000 to 2003 of the National Health Interview Survey. We divided the survey participants into three groups: 1) those with no LTPA, 2) those who reported some LTPA but not for sufficient time and intensity to meet recommended guidelines, and 3) those who reported LTPA at levels that met or exceeded recommendations. We used ordinal logistic regression to examine whether NLB and Latinos or Latino subgroups were less likely to report LTPA than NLW while controlling for social, economic, and demographic factors that may have accounted for group differences. We further examined the prevalence of OPA and the relationship between LTPA and OPA. RESULTS Among employed individuals, NLB and Latinos had significantly more individuals reporting no LTPA compared with NLW. Latinos had the greatest proportion of individuals reporting no LTPA. Furthermore, it was found that significantly more Latinos had physically active occupations compared with NLB and NLB compared with NLW, respectively. Among employed Latinos, Cubans and Dominicans were most likely to report no LTPA, and Mexicans had the greatest percentage of workers with a physically active occupation. LTPA was not significantly associated with having a physically active occupation across races and Latino subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Participation in LTPA among ethnic or racial minorities is lower than that of NLW, and the OPA rates are higher. OPA does not significantly impact participation in LTPA in employed adults.

Perspectives of Latina and non-Latina white women on barriers and facilitators to exercise in pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy has been associated with reduced risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, however, twice as many women are sedentary during pregnancy as compared to when they are not pregnant. We conducted 3 focus groups among 20 pregnant Latina and non-Latina white women to identify barriers and facilitators to exercise in pregnancy to inform a gestational diabetes mellitus intervention study. Quantitative analyses of demographic data, and qualitative analyses of focus groups were conducted. Women identified physical limitations and restrictions, lack of resources, energy, and time as powerful exercise barriers. Social support, access to resources, information, proper diet, scheduling, and the weather were identified as powerful facilitators. Intervention programs designed for pregnant women should facilitate social support, provide information and resources, as well as promote short-term and long-term benefits.

Health Promotion for Successful Aging

The rising costs of health and social support systems for an aging population will become unsustainable without proactive steps to create individual and environmental changes that promote successful aging. Unfortunately, many older adults do not currently have a healthy lifestyle and are at risk for poor health outcomes, including chronic illnesses and mortality. The authors review the behavioral and psychosocial correlates of health and well-being, which include resilience, self-efficacy, smoking, physical activity, diet, good sleep, and having a strong social network, and linked them to the concept of successful aging. They discuss the unique challenges of maintaining health behaviors among older adults over time and review 3 of the most common approaches to lifestyle intervention in older adults (ie, social cognitive theory, the transtheoretical model, and social ecological models). They conclude that initiation and maintenance of behaviors require perceptions of control (self-efficacy), a belief in the positive health outcomes for performing these behaviors, and a value for the outcome (outcome expectancy) for successful aging to be realized. Moreover, more research is needed that takes a broader ecological perspective that makes use of multilevel strategies to behavior change in older adults.

The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Cognition in Older Latinos

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between minutes spent participating in light and moderate/vigorous-intensity physical activity (PA) and cognition in older Latinos, controlling for demographics, chronic health problems, and acculturation. METHOD A cross-sectional study design was used. Participants were self-identified Latinos, without disability, who had a score less than 14 on a 21-point Mini-Mental State Examination. Participants were recruited from predominantly Latino communities in Chicago at health fairs, senior centers, and community centers. PA was measured with an accelerometer, worn for 7 days. Episodic memory and executive function (inference control, inattention, and word fluency) were measured with validated cognitive tests. RESULTS Participants were 174 Latino men (n = 46) and women (n = 128) aged 50-84 years (M = 66 years). After adjusting for control variables (demographics, chronic health problems) and other cognitive measures, regression analyses revealed that minutes per day of light-intensity PA (r = -.51), moderate/vigorous PA (r = -.56), and counts per minute (r=-.62) were negatively associated with lower word fluency. DISCUSSION Findings suggest that the cognitive benefits of both light-intensity PA and moderate/vigorous PA may be domain-specific.

Physical Activity of Urban Community-Dwelling Older Latino Adults

BACKGROUND To date, little is known about the physical activity (PA) levels and commonly reported modes of PA of older Latinos, and this information is critical to developing interventions for this population. The purpose of the current study was to examine PA assessed by self-report and accelerometer and to assess the influence of acculturation, gender, and age on the PA of urban community-dwelling older Latino adults. METHODS Participants were self-identified Latinos, primarily women (73%), and individuals aged 50 to 59 (31%), 60 to 69 (30%), and 70+ (39%). PA was measured with an accelerometer and the Community Healthy Activity Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) PA questionnaire. RESULTS Men reported engaging in, and objectively participated in, significantly more minutes of moderate/vigorous PA than women, but women reported greater light intensity household PA. Latinos aged 50 to 59 engaged in significantly more accelerometer-assessed PA than Latinos aged 60 to 69 and 70+, respectively. The majority of participants did not meet the PA Guidelines for Americans. No differences in PA were demonstrated by acculturation level. Older Latino men and women reported walking and dancing as modes of leisure PA. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest PA interventions should be targeted toward older Latinos, taking into account gender and age.

A Qualitative Exploration of Factors Associated With Walking and Physical Activity in Community-Dwelling Older Latino Adults

Background: Ethnic/racial minorities often live in neighborhoods that are not conducive to physical activity (PA) participation. We examined perceived factors related to walking/PA among Spanish- and English-speaking older Latinos in a low-income, multi-ethnic neighborhood. Method: Exploratory focus group study was conducted with Latinos stratified by preferred language and gender: English-speaking women (n = 7, M age = 74.6); English-speaking men (n = 3, M age = 69.3); Spanish-speaking women (n = 5, M age = 66.4); Spanish-speaking men (n = 5, M age = 74.0). Focus group audio files were transcribed, and qualitative research software was used to code and analyze documents. Results: At the individual level, reasons for exercising (improved health) and positive health outcome expectancies (weight loss and decreased knee pain) were discussed. Neighborhood/environmental factors of safety (fear of crime), neighborhood changes (lack of jobs and decreased social networks), weather, and destination walking were discussed. Discussion: Individual and environmental factors influence PA of older, urban Latinos, and should be taken into consideration in health promotion efforts.

BAILAMOS© Development, Pilot Testing, and Future Directions of a Latin Dance Program for Older Latinos

Older Latinos have low rates of physical activity (PA) and poor health outcomes. Focus groups and a single group, pre-post 3-month pilot of a culturally appropriate Latin dance program (BAILAMOS) were conducted among older, inactive Latinos with a self-identified mobility limitation. Nine themes emerged from focus groups, including cultural influences of dance and barriers to dancing. In the pilot intervention, 9 of 13 older Latinos completed the program and attended 85% of the sessions. Self-reported PA significantly increased (p < .05; d = 1.39), but daily accelerometer-assessed PA decreased for moderate-intensity PA (p = .18; d = 0.29). Participants reported significantly greater enjoyment of PA (p < .05; d = 0.61) and improved physical quality of life (p = .23; d = 0.31). Improvements in mobility (p = .15; d = 0.56) and aspects of cognition were demonstrated. The BAILAMOS program appears to be feasible, culturally appropriate, and has the potential to improve psychosocial determinants of PA, self-reported PA, and aspects of health.

Independent Associations of Organized Physical Activity and Weight Status with Children’s Cognitive Functioning: A Matched-Pairs Design

PURPOSE This study tested whether participation in organized physical activity (active vs. inactive) or weight status (normal weight vs. overweight or obese) independently relate to childrens cognition, using a matched-pairs design. DESIGN AND METHODS Normal weight, active children (8-11 yrs, 5th-75th percentile BMI) were recruited from extracurricular physical activity programs while normal weight inactive (5th-75th percentile BMI) and overweight inactive children (BMI ≥85th percentile) were recruited from local Augusta, Georgia area schools. Measures included the Cognitive Assessment System, anthropometrics, and parent- and self-report of physical activity. Paired t tests compared cognition scores between matched groups of normal weight active vs. normal weight inactive (N = 24 pairs), normal weight inactive vs. overweight inactive (N = 21 pairs), and normal weight active vs. overweight inactive children (N = 16 pairs). Children in each comparison were matched for race, gender, age, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS Normal weight active children had higher Planning (M± SD = 109 ± 11 vs. 100 ± 11, p = .011) and Attention scores (108 ± 11 vs. 100 ± 11, p = .013) than overweight inactive children. Normal weight inactive children had higher Attention scores than overweight inactive children (105 ± 13 vs. 93 ± 12, p = .008). When compared with normal weight inactive children, normal weight active children had higher Planning (113 ± 10 vs. 102 ± 13, p = .008) and marginally higher Attention scores (111 ± 11 vs. 104 ± 12, p = .06). CONCLUSION Findings suggest independent associations of childrens weight status with selective attention, and physical activity with higher-order processes of executive function.

Dietary approaches to stop hypertension patterns in older Latinos with or at risk for hypertension.

BACKGROUND Older Latinos represent a growing segment of our population, yet little is known about whether older Latinos are following the recommended Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which promotes certain food groups to reduce blood pressure (BP) over and above established strategies. Among Latinos, greater acculturation to the American society has been associated with suboptimal dietary choices and risk for chronic diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess differences in DASH accordance/adherence by BP status taking into account level of acculturation. METHODS This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study involving older Latinos wherein DASH accordance and adherence were calculated on the basis of nutrient analyses of food frequency questionnaires. A DASH score of 4.5 or higher indicated accordance, and a DASH Adherence Index greater than 0 indicated adherence. Blood pressure was measured in triplicate using Omron HEM-907XL and was categorized according to BP level and/or antihypertensive medication. The Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II was used to rate level of acculturation. RESULTS Participants were 169 Latinos, primarily women (73%) and older (66 ± 9.0 years); the majority were hypertensive (66%), preferred speaking in Spanish (85%), and were more Latino oriented (63%) with respect to acculturation status. Overall, participants were moderately DASH accordant (4.2 ± 1.6) and DASH adherent (-0.8 ± 0.8). Acculturation scores (odds ratio, 1.4-1.7, P < 0.02) were predictive of hypertensive status (defined as BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg) regardless of which dietary score was modeled. CONCLUSION Based on these findings, greater attention should be paid to identification of traditional Latino foods and food preparation that are consistent and acceptable to this older community in effort to foster greater DASH accordance and improve BP status.

Physical Activity Interventions for Neurocognitive and Academic Performance in Overweight and Obese Youth. A Systematic Review.

This article examines cognitive, academic, and brain outcomes of physical activity in overweight or obese youth, with attention to minority youth who experience health disparities. Physically active academic lessons may have greater immediate cognitive and academic benefits among overweight and obese children than normal-weight children. Quasi-experimental studies testing physical activity programs in overweight and obese youth show promise; a few randomized controlled trials including African Americans show efficacy. Thus, making academic lessons physically active may improve inhibition and attentiveness, particularly in overweight youngsters. Regular physical activity may be efficacious for improving neurologic, cognitive, and achievement outcomes in overweight or obese youth.