Physical Activity Patterns of Latina Immigrants Living in Alabama

Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the Southeastern USA. Latinos living in the USA have a higher prevalence of obesity, metabolic diseases, and physical inactivity compared to non-Latino Whites, particularly Latina women. The objective of this study is to assess the patterns of physical activity (PA) in overweight Latina immigrants in Alabama using a self-report and an accelerometer.

Participants included foreign-born Latina women age ≥19 years with BMI ≥25 kg/m(2). The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess self-reported physical activity. Accelerometers were used as an objective measure of physical activity.

Among 44 overweight/obese Latina immigrants (mean age 36.6 years and BMI 33.3 kg/m(2)), 36.4 % met PA recommendations by self-report while only 20.5 % met recommendations according to the accelerometer. Self-report sedentary activity was underestimated (186 min/day self-report vs. 575 min/day accelerometer) while moderate activity was overestimated (34 min/day self-report vs. 15 min/day accelerometer). While the number of years living in the USA was positively associated with vigorous activity (r=0.32, p= 0.03), the number of years living in Alabama tended to be positively associated with sedentary activity and negatively associated with moderate activity.

Latina immigrants living in Alabama overestimated the amount of time spent in moderate PA and underestimated time spent in sedentary activity.