Correlates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Among Overweight Hispanic School-aged Children

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore potential correlates of physical activity and sedentary screen time behaviors among overweight Hispanic school-aged children, ages 7 to 14years.

Design and methods: We conducted an exploratory correlation analysis using baseline data of 40 child-parent dyads from the "Mind Exercise Nutrition Do It!" program conducted in the Western United States.

Results: Child self-esteem and parental vegetable intake were moderately associated with physical activity, while parental vegetable intake and child fruit intake were strongly associated with physical activity among males. Physical activity was not significantly associated with body mass index percentile, sedentary screen time behaviors, or body esteem. Only decreased body esteem in males was correlated with sedentary screen time behaviors.

Conclusions and practice implications: Understanding the correlates of physical activity and sedentary screen time behaviors in this underrepresented population allows nurses to better understand the connections between physical activity and other aspects of well-being in children. Further investigation is needed to determine how these relationships can be incorporated into physical activity interventions that improve the health of overweight Hispanic school-aged children.

Keywords: Children; Health behavior; Physical activity; Sedentary behavior.