Exploring Physical Activity Among Mexican American Immigrants in New York City Before and During the COVID-19...

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with decreases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and increases in sedentary time for children and adults, and there is some evidence that Latino populations were particularly affected. This article leverages a two-wave panel, mixed-method social network dataset collected before and during the pandemic with Mexican American immigrants living in New York City to examine social networks and other factors associated with physical activity and explore participants' perceptions about how the pandemic affected their physical activity. Participants (n = 49) completed in-person, egocentric social network interviews between January and June 2019 and virtual follow-up egocentric social network interviews between May and November 2021. Qualitative data collection with a subsample (n = 25) occurred between October and December 2022. Social network quantitative analyses found that age and female sex were negatively associated with participants' baseline physical activity level, but the proportion of alters (important persons identified by the participant) with whom the participant did physical activity at baseline was positively associated. Baseline physical activity level was inversely related to the change in physical activity, and the change in the proportion of alters who were close to the participant was negatively associated with physical activity change at follow-up. Qualitative results supported the quantitative findings, providing rich narratives regarding the importance of social support for physical activity during the pandemic. Social networks among Mexican American immigrants in New York City provided motivation and support for physical activity but became harder to sustain during a pandemic. The findings can inform strategies to create environments that are conducive to physical activity while also protecting public health.