Environmental Correlates of Physical Activity Among African-American Adults

Authors

Tim Bungum, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Jennifer Pharr, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Paulo S. Pinheiro, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Maria Azzarelli, Southern Nevada Health DistrictFollow

Keywords

African-American; Environmental Correlates; Exercise; Physical Activity

Disciplines

Community-Based Research | Environmental Policy | Kinesiology | Leisure Studies | Public Health | Race and Ethnicity

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify perceived environmental correlates of meeting physical activity guidelines among African-American adults living in Southern Nevada. Trained interviewers phoned potential participants who lived in the 12 zip codes of Clark County, Nevada with the highest proportions of African-American residents. Respondents (n=237) answered 52 health-related and demographic questions. Slightly less than 50% of participants met physical activity guidelines. A factor analysis procedure produced two environmental variables, neighborhood safety and environmental supports for physical activity. Age, gender and educational attainment (p<.05) predicted the meeting of those guidelines (R2=.214), while neighborhood support for physical activity, neighborhood safety, and BMI failed to do so. This finding suggests that environmental factors are not strong predictors of physical activity among African- American adults, although environmental supports for physical activity approached significance. Future studies should consider assessing additional aspects of the built environment as an influence on physical activity.

Recommended Citation

Bungum, Tim; Pharr, Jennifer; Pinheiro, Paulo S.; and Azzarelli, Maria (2013) "Environmental Correlates of Physical Activity Among African-American Adults," Nevada Journal of Public Health: Vol. 10: Iss. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/njph/vol10/iss1/1