Gwen M. Felton

Correlates of physical activity behavior in rural youth.

The purpose of this study was to identify correlates of physical activity behavior in a sample of rural, predominantly African American youth. Three hundred sixty-one fifth-grade students from two rural counties in South Carolina (69% African American, median age = 11 years) completed a questionnaire designed to measure beliefs and social influences regarding physical activity, physical activity self-efficacy, perceived physical activity habits of family members and friends, and access to exercise and fitness equipment at home. After school physical activity and television watching were assessed using the Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR). Students were classified as physically active according to a moderate physical activity standard: two or more 30-min blocks at an intensity of 3 METs (metabolic equivalents) or greater, and a vigorous physical activity standard: one or more 30-min blocks at an intensity of 6 METs or greater. According to the moderate physical activity standard, 34.9% of students were classified as low-active. Multivariate analysis revealed age, gender, television watching, and exercise equipment at home to be significant correlates of low activity status. According to the vigorous physical activity standard, 32.1% of the students were classified as low-active. Multivariate analysis revealed age, gender, television watching, and self-efficacy with respect to seeking support for physical activity to be significant correlates of low activity status. In summary, gender and the amount of television watching were found to be the most important correlates of physical activity in rural, predominantly African American youth.

Evaluation of a Community-Based Intervention To Promote Physical Activity in Youth: Lessons from Active Winners.

Purpose. To test the effects of a community-based physical activity intervention designed to increase physical activity and to conduct an extensive process evaluation of the intervention. Design. Quasi-experimental. Setting. Two rural communities in South Carolina. One community received the intervention, and the other served as the comparison. Subjects. Public school students who were in fifth grade at the start of the study (558 at baseline) were eligible to participate. A total of 436 students participated over the course of the study. Intervention. The intervention included after-school and summer physical activity programs and home, school, and community components designed to increase physical activity in youth. The intervention took place over an 18-month period. Measures. Students reported after-school physical activity at three data collection points (prior to, during, and following the intervention) using the Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR). They also completed a questionnaire designed to measure hypothesized psychosocial and environmental determinants of physical activity behavior. The process evaluation used meeting records, documentation of program activities, interviews, focus groups, and heart rate monitoring to evaluate the planning and implementation of the intervention. Results. There were no significant differences in the physical activity variables and few significant differences in the psychosocial variables between the intervention and comparison groups. The process evaluation indicated that the after-school and summer physical activity component of the intervention was implemented as planned, but because of resource and time limitations, the home, school, and community components were not implemented as planned. Conclusions. The intervention did not have a significant effect on physical activity in the target population of children in the intervention community. This outcome is similar to that reported in other studies of community-based physical activity intervention.

Physical Activity Correlates in Adolescent Girls Who Differ by Weight Status

Objective: This study compared correlates of physical activity (PA) among African‐American and white girls of different weight groups to guide future interventions.

Physical Activities and Sedentary Pursuits in African American and Caucasian Girls

Abstract The purposes of this study were to describe and compare the specific physical activity choices and sedentary pursuits of African American and Caucasian American girls. Participants were 1,124 African American and 1,068 Caucasian American eighth-grade students from 31 middle schools. The 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR) was used to measure participation in physical activities and sedentary pursuits. The most frequently reported physical activities were walking, basketball, jogging or running, bicycling, and social dancing. Differences between groups were found in 11 physical activities and 3 sedentary pursuits. Participation rates were higher in African American girls (p ≤. 001) for social dancing basketball, watching television, and church attendance but lower in calisthenics, ballet and other dance, jogging or running rollerblading soccer, softball or baseball, using an exercise machine, swimming, and homework. Cultural differences of groups should be considered when planning interventions to promote physical activity.

Black, Hispanic, and white girls' perceptions of environmental and social support and enjoyment of physical activity.

BACKGROUND This study examines the differences among black, Hispanic, and white adolescent girls in their perceptions surrounding physical activity (PA), including support within the school climate, friend and family social support, and personal enjoyment. METHODS Participants included 1466 sixth-grade girls from 36 middle schools across the United States. Participants were 20% black, 21% Hispanic, 47% white, and 12% of other or mixed races. Multivariate analyses were performed on each scale, adjusting for body mass index and free and reduced-price lunch status. RESULTS Results showed racial differences on several variables. Black girls, compared with white girls, perceived significantly lower PA enjoyment (p<.001) and teacher support for PA (p=.004). Hispanic girls experienced less PA enjoyment (p=.003) and perceived less support for PA from boys (p=.001) and their families (p=.008) than white girls. Black girls reported significantly higher levels of physical education (PE) enjoyment than did white girls (p=.003). CONCLUSIONS Differences in perceived PA support and enjoyment across race raise questions about why these differences exist and how best to address disparities within interventions.

Reliability of Pedometer-Determined Free-Living Physical Activity Data in College Women

This study examined stability and reliability of free-living physical activity assessed by pedometer in 69 young female college students (M age = 18.7 years, SD = 1.2, range: 18-25 years; body mass index = 23.2 kg/m2, SD = 0.6) for two complete weeks (Week 1 and Week 2) separated by 12 weeks. During Week 1, participants took an average of 8,880 steps/day, SD = 3,219, range: 1,858-19,480; during Week 2 9,088 steps/day, SD = 3,299, range 1,736-16,837; t (68) = -.568, p = .572. In both weeks, only Sunday differed significantly (repeated measures analysis of variance; Week 1: p < .0001; Week 2: p < .01) from all other days of the week. The computed intraclass correlation between weeks was moderate (.72). Group mean pedometer-determined physical activity was stable across 2 weeks separated by 12 weeks in this young, healthy sample of women. Individuals within these groups held their rank order to a moderate extent over time. These findings provide important evidence of the reliability of pedometer-determined physical activity data and are of practical importance to study design.

Heart Healthy and Ethnically Relevant (HHER) Lifestyle trial for improving diet and physical activity in underserved African American women

BACKGROUND African American women are at increased risk for CVD morbidity and mortality relative to white women. Physical inactivity and poor dietary habits are modifiable health behaviors shown to reduce CVD risk. Community health centers have the potential to reach large numbers of African Americans to modify their risk for CVD, yet few lifestyle counseling interventions have been conducted in this setting. METHODS The HHER Lifestyle trial is a randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of a standard care intervention (provider counseling, nurse goal setting, and educational materials) to a comprehensive intervention (standard care intervention plus 12 months of telephone counseling and tailored print materials) on changes in physical activity and dietary fat consumption in financially disadvantaged African American women at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes are body mass index, central adiposity, and total cholesterol. Potential mediators of outcome are self-efficacy for overcoming barriers, social support, and decisional balance. RESULTS African American women (N=266; 130 standard care, 136 comprehensive intervention) 35 years and older from nine clinics within two community health centers were enrolled. Most participants were overweight or obese with existing chronic health conditions. CONCLUSION The HHER Lifestyle trial is unique in that it targets financially disadvantaged African American women from community health centers, incorporates a standard care intervention into a routine clinical appointment, and includes a comprehensive process evaluation. The design will permit further research examining the added effect of regular telephone counseling and tailored print materials to a primary care provider and nurse intervention.

Health-promoting behaviors of black and white college women.

There is growing recognition that race and socioeconomic variables in health research demand greater attention. The investigators compared racial differences in health definition, health value, and health-promoting behavior of 62 pairs (N = 124) of Black and White college women matched on age, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. Both groups of women had similar definitions of health, valued health to the same extent, and reported similar levels of self-actualization, health responsibility, exercise, and stress management. Black women, relative to White women, practiced fewer nutrition behaviors and had less interpersonal support. Interventions to reduce health risk associated with nutrition practices of Black women are warranted and further research is needed to explore the influence of the social structure of educational institutions on interpersonal relationships and other health behaviors. When socio-economic status is taken into consideration, Black and White college women demonstrated more commonalities in health behavior than differences.