Monica Baskin - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Monica Baskin
BACKGROUND: The relatively greater availability and promotion of low-cost, high-calorie foods in ... more BACKGROUND: The relatively greater availability and promotion of low-cost, high-calorie foods in African American compared to predominantly white communities may contribute to above average obesity prevalence. PURPOSE: To evaluate African American consumer perceptions of monetary cost and value received when purchasing foods and beverages. METHODS: Qualitative data on perceptions of food marketing environments were collected from African American adults and youth in four US cities through focus groups, photo elicitation, and semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis within data from each site identified themes relevant to influences of price and value on food purchases. Cross-cutting themes were identified through analyses in the combined data set. RESULTS: There was a high awareness of food prices. Tradeoffs were commonly made to keep spending within set dollar limits. The importance of saving money was often prioritized over other important considerations such as c...
Journal of Adolescent Health, 2015
African-American youth are at high risk for physical inactivity. This study explored social and c... more African-American youth are at high risk for physical inactivity. This study explored social and cultural environment facilitators of physical activity among 12- to 14-year-old African-American adolescents living in a metropolitan area in the Southeast. Youth (n = 51; 45% male) participated in brainstorming focus groups responding to the prompt, "What about your family, friends, and community, encourages you to be physically active?" In a second meeting, participants (n = 56; 37.5% male) sorted statements (n = 84) based on similarity in meaning and rated statements on relative importance. Statement groups and ratings were entered into Concept Systems software where multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to create graphical representation of ideas. Finally, researchers named clusters according to the gestalt of grouped statements. The total sample included 28.9% of youth with household incomes ≤$30,000 (area median income = $30,701), 29% who perceived themselves as overweight, and 14.5% who reported being active for 60+ minutes everyday. Nine clusters, in rank order, emerged as follows: access/availability of physical activity resources; family and friend support; physical activity with friends; physical activity with family members; inspiration to/from others; parental reinforcement; opportunities in daily routine; pressure from social networks; and seeing consequences of activity/inactivity. Themes analyzed by gender were very similar (r = .90); however, "pressure from social networks" was more important for girls than boys (r = .10). Clear patterns of social and cultural facilitators of physical activity are perceived by African-American adolescents. Interventions targeting this group may benefit by incorporating these themes.
International journal of obesity (2005), 2008
In this issue of the International Journal of Obesity, Katz et al. report on a meta-analysis of s... more In this issue of the International Journal of Obesity, Katz et al. report on a meta-analysis of schoolbased interventions (SBIs) for lessening overweight and obesity in children. A hard look at SBIs is certainly warranted and we applaud Katz et al. for undertaking the task. SBIs have been and remain among the most advocated of anti-obesity approaches and, at least as research projects, they have tended to be large expensive projects. Not surprisingly, evidence of the efficacy/ effectiveness of these SBIs has been variable, presumably as a result of the heterogeneity of approaches.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2014
ABSTRACT Purpose Racial/ethnic disparities in the level of physical activity may be due to unequa... more ABSTRACT Purpose Racial/ethnic disparities in the level of physical activity may be due to unequal opportunities to be physically active. This study compares the attributes of physical activity resources for adolescents by neighborhood race/ethnicity in a metropolitan area in southern USA. Methods Physical activity resources (n = 89) were assessed using the revised Physical Activity Resource Assessment instrument. Neighborhood ethnic composition for each resource was identified from the US census data. Results On average, resources in high ethnic minority neighborhoods had more (p = 0.032) physical activity features (mean = 3.24, SD = 1.6) compared to low ethnic minority neighborhoods (mean = 2.36, SD = 1.7). However, the quality of amenities in high ethnic minority neighborhoods was significantly low (p = 0.037). The incivilities that indicated safety concerns (i.e., unattended dogs, evidence of alcohol and substance use, graffiti, sex paraphernalia, and vandalism) were significantly higher (p = 0.009) in the resources in high ethnic minority neighborhoods (mean = 1.07, SD = 1.6) compared to resources in low ethnic minority neighborhoods (mean = 0.36, SD = 0.8). Conclusions Physical activity resources in high minority neighborhoods were found to have significant quality and safety issues. Further studies are warranted to examine the use of these resources by adolescents and examine its association with physical activity levels and obesity.
Journal of Career Development, 1999
... However, empirical re-search exploring factors affecting the educational attainment and ca ..... more ... However, empirical re-search exploring factors affecting the educational attainment and ca ... per-ception of occupational opportunity and consideration of career choices (eg, Derrick ... Other important factors were also revealed, including perceived occupational opportunity and ...
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 2014
International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 2004
Preventive Medicine, 2011
Objectives-The Activity Support Scale (ACTS) was expanded for use with African American families.... more Objectives-The Activity Support Scale (ACTS) was expanded for use with African American families. Its factorial invariance and internal reliability were examined for non-Hispanic white and African American parents.
Objective: To investigate plausible contributors to the obesity epidemic beyond the two most comm... more Objective: To investigate plausible contributors to the obesity epidemic beyond the two most commonly suggested factors, reduced physical activity and food marketing practices. Design: A narrative review of data and published materials that provide evidence of the role of additional putative factors in contributing to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Data: Information was drawn from ecological and epidemiological studies of humans, animal studies and studies addressing physiological mechanisms, when available. Results: For at least 10 putative additional explanations for the increased prevalence of obesity over the recent decades, we found supportive (although not conclusive) evidence that in many cases is as compelling as the evidence for more commonly discussed putative explanations. Conclusion: Undue attention has been devoted to reduced physical activity and food marketing practices as postulated causes for increases in the prevalence of obesity, leading to neglect of other plausible mechanisms and well-intentioned, but potentially ill-founded proposals for reducing obesity rates.
Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.), Jan 28, 2014
This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of a child-report, multidimensional measur... more This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of a child-report, multidimensional measure of physical activity (PA) parenting, the Activity Support Scale for Multiple Groups (ACTS-MG), in African American and non-Hispanic white families. The ACTS-MG was administered to children aged 5 to 12 years. A three factor model of PA parenting (Modeling of PA, Logistic Support, and Restricting Access to Screen-based Activities) was tested separately for mother's and fathers' PA parenting. The proposed three-factor structure was supported in both racial groups for mothers' PA parenting and in the African American sample for fathers' PA parenting. Factorial invariance between racial groups was demonstrated for mother's PA parenting. Building on a previous study examining the ACTS-MG parent-report, this study supports the use of the ACTS-MG child-report for mothers' PA parenting. However, further research is required to investigate the measurement of fathers'...
Preventing chronic disease, 2014
African American women in the Deep South of the United States are disproportionately obese, a con... more African American women in the Deep South of the United States are disproportionately obese, a condition strongly influenced by their social environment. The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence of social support from family and friends for healthy eating and exercise in rural communities. This study is an analysis of a subgroup (N = 195) of overweight and obese African American women from a larger ongoing weight loss trial (N = 409) in rural communities of the Alabama Black Belt and Mississippi Delta. The Social Support and Eating Habits Survey and Social Support and Exercise Survey were used to measure support from family and friends for healthy eating and exercise, respectively. Linear regression was conducted to determine the association between social support factors and body mass index (BMI). Concurrently prevalent in our sample were encouraging support for healthy eating (family, median,14.0; range, 5.0-25.0; friends, median, 13.0; range 5.0-25.0) and dis...
Ethnicity & disease, 2007
This study examines African American and Caucasian women's perception of how race affects the... more This study examines African American and Caucasian women's perception of how race affects their weight. Structured focus groups that used the nominal group technique (NGT) were conducted with four groups of African American women (n = 30) and four groups of Caucasian women (n = 30). Participants generated responses to the question, "How does being a Black/White woman affect your weight?" The African American groups generated 48 unique ideas, including unhealthy food preparation, poor food selection habits, lack of exercise, stress, increased risk of chronic diseases, and associated medical costs; the Caucasian groups produced 32 responses, including distorted expectations of perfect body type, success depended on thinness and beauty, social pressures, media, and men's preferences. Results suggest that the African American women focused on food choices and health consequences while the Caucasian women emphasized body size and aesthetics. The observed differences sup...
Preventive Medicine, 2014
Leisure-time physical activity in the United States is lower rural areas and the South and has be... more Leisure-time physical activity in the United States is lower rural areas and the South and has been linked to socioeconomic and environmental aspects of where people live. The purpose of this study is to assess the built environment and policies for physical activity in rural communities. Eight rural communities in Alabama and Mississippi were assessed in 2011 using the Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) street segment (SSA), town-wide (TWA), and town program and policies (PPA) assessment tools. Community Health Advisors Trained as Research Partners (CHARPS) and local staff conducted the assessments. The TWA and PPA were scored by domain and total scores. Data were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics. 117 segments were assessed in 22 towns in 8 counties. Built environmental barriers existed in all communities. Sidewalks were available in only 10-40% of the segments. TWA identified parks and playgrounds as the most available community feature. PPA scores indicated few policies for physical activity outside of school settings with mean scores higher in Mississippi compared to Alabama (61 vs. 49, respectively). Multiple components of rural communities can be successfully assessed by CHARPs using RALA tools, providing information about resources and barriers for physical activity.
Journal of Research in Obesity, 2013
Obese adults often experience heightened physical responses to exercise, and some may interpret t... more Obese adults often experience heightened physical responses to exercise, and some may interpret this response as a sign that they are in danger of harm or injury. This fear of harm, or fearavoidance beliefs (FAB), leads some individuals to avoid exercise, leading to increased sedentary behavior and further difficulty maintaining weight. Evidence indicates that body mass index (BMI) is predictive of FAB, but no research has considered the impact of medical conditions on FAB in obese adults. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal conditions on FAB. Participants (n=155) completed the Exercise Fear Avoidance Scale (EFAS), a checklist of medical conditions, and the Pain Disability Index. We calculated differences in EFAS scores between groups with and without each condition using t-tests. We used linear regression to calculate the amount of variance in EFAS scores accounted for by BMI, age, pain and condition. Individuals reporting a cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal condition had significantly higher EFAS scores than those who did not (7.4 points, P<.001; 4.4 points, P=.001, respectively). BMI, pain and age explained significant portions of the variance in EFAS scores (P=.003; P<.001; P=.001, respectively). When added to the regression equations, no condition significantly added to the variance in EFAS scores. While those with cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal conditions may have higher FAB than those without, BMI appears to contribute to this fear even in individuals without these conditions. Practitioners should consider FAB when discussing exercise recommendations with obese individuals regardless of cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal history.
American Journal of Health Behavior, 2015
To examine the association of cultural beliefs with physical activity (PA) among African-American... more To examine the association of cultural beliefs with physical activity (PA) among African-American adolescents. For a list of 42 leisure-time physical activities, adolescents (N = 116) indicated whether they believed the activity was &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;Mostly a Black Thing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;Equally a Black and White Thing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;, or &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;Mostly a White Thing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed using accelerometers. Participants scoring in the highest quartile of Mostly Black score engaged in more PA and were less likely to be overweight or obese compared to those in lower quartiles. However, these findings were not statistically significant. Further research to validate the association of cultural beliefs with PA is needed to inform health-enhancing PA interventions for this population.
Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 2011
Public Health Nutrition, 2013
To assess caregivers’ perceptions of the extent to which the food marketing environment influence... more To assess caregivers’ perceptions of the extent to which the food marketing environment influences food consumption among African-American children (aged 3–11 years) in order to generate potential strategies to make the marketing environment more favourable to healthier eating. Individual semi-structured interviews with caregivers were conducted by trained community leaders to ascertain their awareness of and perceptions about food marketing environments contributing to African-American children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s food consumption. Six predominantly African-American communities in metro Birmingham, Alabama, USA with high proportions of school-age children and lower-income residents. Caregivers (n 25) were predominantly female (93 %) and either parents/guardians (64 %) or grandparents (28 %) of African-American children aged 3–11 years. Caregiver mean age was 43 years and 46 % had lived in their current residence for over 10 years. Caregivers reported all aspects of the food marketing matrix as supporting unhealthy eating among African-American youth. Child preference for foods higher in fat and sugar, lower pricing of less healthy foods, limited access to healthier food retailers and targeted advertisements were particularly influential on the food selection, acquisition and consumption of children. Company loyalty, corporate sponsorship of local events and conflicts over parental v. food company responsibility contributed to less consensus about the overall impact (positive or negative) of food companies in African-American communities. While caregivers perceived aspects of their food marketing environments as primarily contributing to unhealthy eating among African-American children, framing the demand for changes in the food marketing environments of African-American youth may be particularly challenging.
Psychological Bulletin, 2007
The authors reviewed the evidential basis of three environmental approaches to reducing populatio... more The authors reviewed the evidential basis of three environmental approaches to reducing population obesity: What are the effects of (a) taxing or subsidizing foods, (b) manipulating the ease of food access, and (c) restricting access to certain foods? A narrative review evaluated evidence using National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria. There was strong evidence that subsidization influences food purchases, but not necessarily food consumption or body weight. Ease of food access may influence food purchases, and possibly food intake and body weight. Data on restriction were lacking. More studies are needed to justify that altering these macro-environmental variables will necessarily reduce population obesity. A proposed conceptual model posits that the steps through environmental interventions may exert intended and unintended influences on body weight and obesity prevalence. Contemplated policy changes should weigh scientific evidence with social judgments and values concerning changes to the environment.
Obesity Reviews, 2005
Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. Data on measured heights and weigh... more Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. Data on measured heights and weights indicates that the prevalence of obesity has significantly increased among the US population over the past 30 years. Data collected from 1999 to 2002 estimates that nearly 1/3 of adults are obese (27.6% of men and 33.2% of women) and one in six children and adolescents is overweight. Increased prevalence of excessive weight is noted among all age, gender and racial/ethnic groups; however, disparities exist. There is a need for further research to better understand why these increases have occurred, why the observed disparities exist and how to reverse these trends.
Obesity, 2005
Go Girls was a church-based nutrition and physical activity program designed for overweight Afric... more Go Girls was a church-based nutrition and physical activity program designed for overweight African-American (AA) adolescent females. Ten predominantly middle-socioeconomic churches were randomized to either a high-intensity (20 to 26 sessions) or moderate-intensity (six sessions) culturally tailored behavioral group intervention delivered over 6 months. Each session included an experiential behavioral activity, approximately 30 minutes of physical activity, and preparation and tasting of healthy foods. In the high-intensity group, girls also received four to six telephone counseling calls. From the 10 churches, 123 girls completed baseline and 6-month post-test assessments. The primary outcome was BMI; secondary outcomes included waist and hip circumferences, percentage body fat estimated by bioimpedance, serum insulin, glucose, and lipids, and cardiovascular fitness at 6-month follow-up. Selected measures were also collected at 1-year follow-up. At 6-month follow-up, the net difference between the high- and moderate-intensity groups was 0.5 BMI units. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.20). There were no significant group differences in secondary outcomes. Girls in the high-intensity condition, however, who attended more than three-quarters of the sessions had significantly lower BMI and percentage body fat relative to girls in the high-intensity group who attended fewer sessions. Findings at 1-year follow-up mirrored those at 6 months. We concluded that the intervention was not effective in reducing adiposity, although there were some positive findings among high attenders. Despite the null result, the intervention was generally well received by participants. Future interventions may require greater dose and a more structured dietary change program.
BACKGROUND: The relatively greater availability and promotion of low-cost, high-calorie foods in ... more BACKGROUND: The relatively greater availability and promotion of low-cost, high-calorie foods in African American compared to predominantly white communities may contribute to above average obesity prevalence. PURPOSE: To evaluate African American consumer perceptions of monetary cost and value received when purchasing foods and beverages. METHODS: Qualitative data on perceptions of food marketing environments were collected from African American adults and youth in four US cities through focus groups, photo elicitation, and semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis within data from each site identified themes relevant to influences of price and value on food purchases. Cross-cutting themes were identified through analyses in the combined data set. RESULTS: There was a high awareness of food prices. Tradeoffs were commonly made to keep spending within set dollar limits. The importance of saving money was often prioritized over other important considerations such as c...
Journal of Adolescent Health, 2015
African-American youth are at high risk for physical inactivity. This study explored social and c... more African-American youth are at high risk for physical inactivity. This study explored social and cultural environment facilitators of physical activity among 12- to 14-year-old African-American adolescents living in a metropolitan area in the Southeast. Youth (n = 51; 45% male) participated in brainstorming focus groups responding to the prompt, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;What about your family, friends, and community, encourages you to be physically active?&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; In a second meeting, participants (n = 56; 37.5% male) sorted statements (n = 84) based on similarity in meaning and rated statements on relative importance. Statement groups and ratings were entered into Concept Systems software where multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to create graphical representation of ideas. Finally, researchers named clusters according to the gestalt of grouped statements. The total sample included 28.9% of youth with household incomes ≤$30,000 (area median income = $30,701), 29% who perceived themselves as overweight, and 14.5% who reported being active for 60+ minutes everyday. Nine clusters, in rank order, emerged as follows: access/availability of physical activity resources; family and friend support; physical activity with friends; physical activity with family members; inspiration to/from others; parental reinforcement; opportunities in daily routine; pressure from social networks; and seeing consequences of activity/inactivity. Themes analyzed by gender were very similar (r = .90); however, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;pressure from social networks&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; was more important for girls than boys (r = .10). Clear patterns of social and cultural facilitators of physical activity are perceived by African-American adolescents. Interventions targeting this group may benefit by incorporating these themes.
International journal of obesity (2005), 2008
In this issue of the International Journal of Obesity, Katz et al. report on a meta-analysis of s... more In this issue of the International Journal of Obesity, Katz et al. report on a meta-analysis of schoolbased interventions (SBIs) for lessening overweight and obesity in children. A hard look at SBIs is certainly warranted and we applaud Katz et al. for undertaking the task. SBIs have been and remain among the most advocated of anti-obesity approaches and, at least as research projects, they have tended to be large expensive projects. Not surprisingly, evidence of the efficacy/ effectiveness of these SBIs has been variable, presumably as a result of the heterogeneity of approaches.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2014
ABSTRACT Purpose Racial/ethnic disparities in the level of physical activity may be due to unequa... more ABSTRACT Purpose Racial/ethnic disparities in the level of physical activity may be due to unequal opportunities to be physically active. This study compares the attributes of physical activity resources for adolescents by neighborhood race/ethnicity in a metropolitan area in southern USA. Methods Physical activity resources (n = 89) were assessed using the revised Physical Activity Resource Assessment instrument. Neighborhood ethnic composition for each resource was identified from the US census data. Results On average, resources in high ethnic minority neighborhoods had more (p = 0.032) physical activity features (mean = 3.24, SD = 1.6) compared to low ethnic minority neighborhoods (mean = 2.36, SD = 1.7). However, the quality of amenities in high ethnic minority neighborhoods was significantly low (p = 0.037). The incivilities that indicated safety concerns (i.e., unattended dogs, evidence of alcohol and substance use, graffiti, sex paraphernalia, and vandalism) were significantly higher (p = 0.009) in the resources in high ethnic minority neighborhoods (mean = 1.07, SD = 1.6) compared to resources in low ethnic minority neighborhoods (mean = 0.36, SD = 0.8). Conclusions Physical activity resources in high minority neighborhoods were found to have significant quality and safety issues. Further studies are warranted to examine the use of these resources by adolescents and examine its association with physical activity levels and obesity.
Journal of Career Development, 1999
... However, empirical re-search exploring factors affecting the educational attainment and ca ..... more ... However, empirical re-search exploring factors affecting the educational attainment and ca ... per-ception of occupational opportunity and consideration of career choices (eg, Derrick ... Other important factors were also revealed, including perceived occupational opportunity and ...
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 2014
International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 2004
Preventive Medicine, 2011
Objectives-The Activity Support Scale (ACTS) was expanded for use with African American families.... more Objectives-The Activity Support Scale (ACTS) was expanded for use with African American families. Its factorial invariance and internal reliability were examined for non-Hispanic white and African American parents.
Objective: To investigate plausible contributors to the obesity epidemic beyond the two most comm... more Objective: To investigate plausible contributors to the obesity epidemic beyond the two most commonly suggested factors, reduced physical activity and food marketing practices. Design: A narrative review of data and published materials that provide evidence of the role of additional putative factors in contributing to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Data: Information was drawn from ecological and epidemiological studies of humans, animal studies and studies addressing physiological mechanisms, when available. Results: For at least 10 putative additional explanations for the increased prevalence of obesity over the recent decades, we found supportive (although not conclusive) evidence that in many cases is as compelling as the evidence for more commonly discussed putative explanations. Conclusion: Undue attention has been devoted to reduced physical activity and food marketing practices as postulated causes for increases in the prevalence of obesity, leading to neglect of other plausible mechanisms and well-intentioned, but potentially ill-founded proposals for reducing obesity rates.
Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.), Jan 28, 2014
This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of a child-report, multidimensional measur... more This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of a child-report, multidimensional measure of physical activity (PA) parenting, the Activity Support Scale for Multiple Groups (ACTS-MG), in African American and non-Hispanic white families. The ACTS-MG was administered to children aged 5 to 12 years. A three factor model of PA parenting (Modeling of PA, Logistic Support, and Restricting Access to Screen-based Activities) was tested separately for mother's and fathers' PA parenting. The proposed three-factor structure was supported in both racial groups for mothers' PA parenting and in the African American sample for fathers' PA parenting. Factorial invariance between racial groups was demonstrated for mother's PA parenting. Building on a previous study examining the ACTS-MG parent-report, this study supports the use of the ACTS-MG child-report for mothers' PA parenting. However, further research is required to investigate the measurement of fathers'...
Preventing chronic disease, 2014
African American women in the Deep South of the United States are disproportionately obese, a con... more African American women in the Deep South of the United States are disproportionately obese, a condition strongly influenced by their social environment. The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence of social support from family and friends for healthy eating and exercise in rural communities. This study is an analysis of a subgroup (N = 195) of overweight and obese African American women from a larger ongoing weight loss trial (N = 409) in rural communities of the Alabama Black Belt and Mississippi Delta. The Social Support and Eating Habits Survey and Social Support and Exercise Survey were used to measure support from family and friends for healthy eating and exercise, respectively. Linear regression was conducted to determine the association between social support factors and body mass index (BMI). Concurrently prevalent in our sample were encouraging support for healthy eating (family, median,14.0; range, 5.0-25.0; friends, median, 13.0; range 5.0-25.0) and dis...
Ethnicity & disease, 2007
This study examines African American and Caucasian women's perception of how race affects the... more This study examines African American and Caucasian women's perception of how race affects their weight. Structured focus groups that used the nominal group technique (NGT) were conducted with four groups of African American women (n = 30) and four groups of Caucasian women (n = 30). Participants generated responses to the question, "How does being a Black/White woman affect your weight?" The African American groups generated 48 unique ideas, including unhealthy food preparation, poor food selection habits, lack of exercise, stress, increased risk of chronic diseases, and associated medical costs; the Caucasian groups produced 32 responses, including distorted expectations of perfect body type, success depended on thinness and beauty, social pressures, media, and men's preferences. Results suggest that the African American women focused on food choices and health consequences while the Caucasian women emphasized body size and aesthetics. The observed differences sup...
Preventive Medicine, 2014
Leisure-time physical activity in the United States is lower rural areas and the South and has be... more Leisure-time physical activity in the United States is lower rural areas and the South and has been linked to socioeconomic and environmental aspects of where people live. The purpose of this study is to assess the built environment and policies for physical activity in rural communities. Eight rural communities in Alabama and Mississippi were assessed in 2011 using the Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) street segment (SSA), town-wide (TWA), and town program and policies (PPA) assessment tools. Community Health Advisors Trained as Research Partners (CHARPS) and local staff conducted the assessments. The TWA and PPA were scored by domain and total scores. Data were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics. 117 segments were assessed in 22 towns in 8 counties. Built environmental barriers existed in all communities. Sidewalks were available in only 10-40% of the segments. TWA identified parks and playgrounds as the most available community feature. PPA scores indicated few policies for physical activity outside of school settings with mean scores higher in Mississippi compared to Alabama (61 vs. 49, respectively). Multiple components of rural communities can be successfully assessed by CHARPs using RALA tools, providing information about resources and barriers for physical activity.
Journal of Research in Obesity, 2013
Obese adults often experience heightened physical responses to exercise, and some may interpret t... more Obese adults often experience heightened physical responses to exercise, and some may interpret this response as a sign that they are in danger of harm or injury. This fear of harm, or fearavoidance beliefs (FAB), leads some individuals to avoid exercise, leading to increased sedentary behavior and further difficulty maintaining weight. Evidence indicates that body mass index (BMI) is predictive of FAB, but no research has considered the impact of medical conditions on FAB in obese adults. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal conditions on FAB. Participants (n=155) completed the Exercise Fear Avoidance Scale (EFAS), a checklist of medical conditions, and the Pain Disability Index. We calculated differences in EFAS scores between groups with and without each condition using t-tests. We used linear regression to calculate the amount of variance in EFAS scores accounted for by BMI, age, pain and condition. Individuals reporting a cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal condition had significantly higher EFAS scores than those who did not (7.4 points, P<.001; 4.4 points, P=.001, respectively). BMI, pain and age explained significant portions of the variance in EFAS scores (P=.003; P<.001; P=.001, respectively). When added to the regression equations, no condition significantly added to the variance in EFAS scores. While those with cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal conditions may have higher FAB than those without, BMI appears to contribute to this fear even in individuals without these conditions. Practitioners should consider FAB when discussing exercise recommendations with obese individuals regardless of cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal history.
American Journal of Health Behavior, 2015
To examine the association of cultural beliefs with physical activity (PA) among African-American... more To examine the association of cultural beliefs with physical activity (PA) among African-American adolescents. For a list of 42 leisure-time physical activities, adolescents (N = 116) indicated whether they believed the activity was &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;Mostly a Black Thing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;Equally a Black and White Thing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;, or &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;Mostly a White Thing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed using accelerometers. Participants scoring in the highest quartile of Mostly Black score engaged in more PA and were less likely to be overweight or obese compared to those in lower quartiles. However, these findings were not statistically significant. Further research to validate the association of cultural beliefs with PA is needed to inform health-enhancing PA interventions for this population.
Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 2011
Public Health Nutrition, 2013
To assess caregivers’ perceptions of the extent to which the food marketing environment influence... more To assess caregivers’ perceptions of the extent to which the food marketing environment influences food consumption among African-American children (aged 3–11 years) in order to generate potential strategies to make the marketing environment more favourable to healthier eating. Individual semi-structured interviews with caregivers were conducted by trained community leaders to ascertain their awareness of and perceptions about food marketing environments contributing to African-American children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s food consumption. Six predominantly African-American communities in metro Birmingham, Alabama, USA with high proportions of school-age children and lower-income residents. Caregivers (n 25) were predominantly female (93 %) and either parents/guardians (64 %) or grandparents (28 %) of African-American children aged 3–11 years. Caregiver mean age was 43 years and 46 % had lived in their current residence for over 10 years. Caregivers reported all aspects of the food marketing matrix as supporting unhealthy eating among African-American youth. Child preference for foods higher in fat and sugar, lower pricing of less healthy foods, limited access to healthier food retailers and targeted advertisements were particularly influential on the food selection, acquisition and consumption of children. Company loyalty, corporate sponsorship of local events and conflicts over parental v. food company responsibility contributed to less consensus about the overall impact (positive or negative) of food companies in African-American communities. While caregivers perceived aspects of their food marketing environments as primarily contributing to unhealthy eating among African-American children, framing the demand for changes in the food marketing environments of African-American youth may be particularly challenging.
Psychological Bulletin, 2007
The authors reviewed the evidential basis of three environmental approaches to reducing populatio... more The authors reviewed the evidential basis of three environmental approaches to reducing population obesity: What are the effects of (a) taxing or subsidizing foods, (b) manipulating the ease of food access, and (c) restricting access to certain foods? A narrative review evaluated evidence using National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria. There was strong evidence that subsidization influences food purchases, but not necessarily food consumption or body weight. Ease of food access may influence food purchases, and possibly food intake and body weight. Data on restriction were lacking. More studies are needed to justify that altering these macro-environmental variables will necessarily reduce population obesity. A proposed conceptual model posits that the steps through environmental interventions may exert intended and unintended influences on body weight and obesity prevalence. Contemplated policy changes should weigh scientific evidence with social judgments and values concerning changes to the environment.
Obesity Reviews, 2005
Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. Data on measured heights and weigh... more Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. Data on measured heights and weights indicates that the prevalence of obesity has significantly increased among the US population over the past 30 years. Data collected from 1999 to 2002 estimates that nearly 1/3 of adults are obese (27.6% of men and 33.2% of women) and one in six children and adolescents is overweight. Increased prevalence of excessive weight is noted among all age, gender and racial/ethnic groups; however, disparities exist. There is a need for further research to better understand why these increases have occurred, why the observed disparities exist and how to reverse these trends.
Obesity, 2005
Go Girls was a church-based nutrition and physical activity program designed for overweight Afric... more Go Girls was a church-based nutrition and physical activity program designed for overweight African-American (AA) adolescent females. Ten predominantly middle-socioeconomic churches were randomized to either a high-intensity (20 to 26 sessions) or moderate-intensity (six sessions) culturally tailored behavioral group intervention delivered over 6 months. Each session included an experiential behavioral activity, approximately 30 minutes of physical activity, and preparation and tasting of healthy foods. In the high-intensity group, girls also received four to six telephone counseling calls. From the 10 churches, 123 girls completed baseline and 6-month post-test assessments. The primary outcome was BMI; secondary outcomes included waist and hip circumferences, percentage body fat estimated by bioimpedance, serum insulin, glucose, and lipids, and cardiovascular fitness at 6-month follow-up. Selected measures were also collected at 1-year follow-up. At 6-month follow-up, the net difference between the high- and moderate-intensity groups was 0.5 BMI units. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.20). There were no significant group differences in secondary outcomes. Girls in the high-intensity condition, however, who attended more than three-quarters of the sessions had significantly lower BMI and percentage body fat relative to girls in the high-intensity group who attended fewer sessions. Findings at 1-year follow-up mirrored those at 6 months. We concluded that the intervention was not effective in reducing adiposity, although there were some positive findings among high attenders. Despite the null result, the intervention was generally well received by participants. Future interventions may require greater dose and a more structured dietary change program.