Physical activity among African American parents of young children: Personal and environmental factors

Objectives: To assess the factors that influence self-reported physical activity (PA). Methods: African American (AA) parents/caregivers (n=96; M age=36 years) completed an online survey to describe PA, personal (PA knowledge, exercise self-efficacy-SE and outcome expectations-OE) and environmental factors (social economic status-SES, neighborhood safety-NS, and culture). RESULTS; Moderate (30%, n=29) to high (54%, n=52) levels of PA were reported. There were significant correlations between PA and NS (r_s=.25) and PA knowledge and PA (r_s =-.30). Significant predictors of PA included SE (β=.21, t(84)=2.20, p=.030), NS (=.33, t(84)=3.56, p=.001), and an unexpected inverse of PA knowledge (β=-.25, t(84)=-2.42, p=.018). Conclusions: Unlike prior studies, we found AA parents of young children were physically active, knowledgeable of the PA guidelines, with moderate-high exercise SE, high SES, felt safe in their neighborhoods with a positive cultural identity. Future research examining the influence of AA parents' PA on health indicators among their children is needed next.