Research Papers zyx Determinants of Physical Activity in Active and Low-Active, Sixth Grade African-American Youth z Stewart G. Trost, Russell R. Pate, Dianne S. Ward, Ruth Saunders, William Riner ABSTRACT: zyxwvutsrqpon This study compared the determinants of physical activity in active and low-active African-American sixth grade students (N=108,57 F, zyxwvutsrq 51 M). Objective assessments ofphysical activity over a seven-day period were obtained using the CSA zyx 7/64 accelerometer. Students were classified as active if they exhibited three or more 20-minute bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity over the seven-day period. Relative to low-actives,active boys reported significantly higher levels of self-efficacy,greater involvement in community physical activity organizations,and were significantly more likely to perceive their mother as active. Relative to low-actives, active girls reported significantly higher levels of physical activity se[fefficacy, greater positive beliefs regarding physical activity outcomes, and were significantly less likely to watch television or play video games for zyx 2 3 hrdday. These observations provide preliminary guidance as to the design of physical activity interventions targeted at African-American youth. (J Sch Health. 1999;69(1):29-34) ardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the lead- C ing cause of mortality in the United States, accounting for just over 41% of all deaths.' African-Americans are at greater risk for CVD than other racial/ethnic In 1995, relative to Whites, age-adjusted death rates from CVD were 49.4% higher in African-American men and 67.2% higher in African-American women.' In the National Health Interview Surveys conducted between 1986 and 1990, the age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension, type I1 diabetes mellitus, and stroke was 1.2 to 2.0 times greater among African-Americans than white^.^ Physical activity is recognized to be an important factor in the primary prevention of CVD. Among adults, higher levels of physical activity are associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, type I1 diabetes mellitus, obesity, certain cancers, as well as some mental health problem~.~.~ Moreover, long-term prospective studies have demonstrated that the risk of all-cause mortality is significantly lower in physically active and/or fit adults relative to their sedentary counterpart^^.^ and that mid-life increases in physical activity or fitness are associated with significant reductions in risk for all-cause Regular physical activity is also beneficial to the health of children and adolescents. Among youth, physical activity is inversely associated with a number of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including elevated blood lipids, hyper- zyxwvu Stewart G. Trost, PhD, Dept. of Health and Human Performance, 2055 Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum, Auburn University, AL 36849-5323 or troststemail.auburn.edu; Russell R. Pate, PhD, Dept. of Exercise Science, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina. Columbia, SC 29208; Dianne S. Ward, EdD, Associate Dean for Administration, School of Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rosenau Hall, CB U7400, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400; Ruth Saunders, PhD, Dept. of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208; and William Riner, PhD, Dept. of Exercise Science, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. This study was supported by a grant from the Life Fitness Academy. This article was submitted August 6. 1998, and accepted for publication October 30,1998. tension, obesity, and cigarette smoking, while positively associated with physical fitness, HDL cholesterol, bone mass, and psychological well-being.I0,"Moreover, because physical activity habits developed early in life may persist into adulthood,'*," adequate participation in physical activ- ity during childhood and adolescence may be of critical importance in the primary prevention of chronic disease later in life. National surveys conducted over the past decade observed that sizable percentages of US adolescents fail to meet established guidelines for participation in physical activity. Of concern, African-American youth appear to be at greater risk for physical inactivity than other population groups. Data from the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior S u ~ v e y ' ~ indicate that only 53.2% of African-American high school students, compared to 67.0% of Whites, report participating in three or more sustained bouts of vigorous physical activ- ity on a weekly basis, suggesting that intervention programs to increase physical activity in African-American youth are needed. Knowing the psychosocial and environmental factors that influence physical activity behavior ir African- American youth is an important prerequisite to designing effective intervention programs for this population. Previous determinant studies involving African-American children have identified physical activity self-efficacy, access to community-based physical activity outlets, parental influences, access to exercise/fitness equipment at home, and television watching as factors associated with, or predictive of, physical activity beha~ior.l'-'~ However, because these studies were conducted in rural communities and also included youth from other racial/ethnic groups, it is not known if these findings are fully generalizable to African-American children residing in urban settings. Also problematic in these studies is the use of self-report meth- ods to quantify physical activity behavior. Importantly, children have difficulty recalling their past physical activity behavior acc~rately,'~*'~ leaving open the possibility of Journal of School Health January zyx 1999, Vol. 69, No. 1 29