Gender and Acculturation Influences on Physical Activity in Latino Adults

Background: Studies examining physical activity levels have used samples primarily composed of non-Latino Whites and have focused on leisure time physical activity (LTPA). Addi-tionally, few studies have investigated differences in physical activity between Latino men and Latina women, or the relation-ship between acculturation and activity. Purpose: To examine the subjective and objective physical activity of Latinos and gender differences in physical activity and the extent to which LTPA and non-LTPA were predictive of overall accelerometer physical activity. An additional objective was to examine the re-lationship between acculturation and different types of physical activity. Methods: Data were obtained from 155 Latinos (n = 86 female, n = 69 male). Comparisons were made between Latino men and women. Results: Latino men participated in signifi-cantly greater occupational and overall objective and subjec-tive physical activity than Latina women; however, women par-ticipated in greater household activity. Regression analyses demonstrated that recreational, occupational, and household activity were significant predictors of overall accelerometer physical activity for the complete sample. Among women, recre-ational and household activity were significant predictors; how-ever, overall accelerometer physical activity was not signifi-cantly predicted in men. Additionally, it was demonstrated that acculturation was related to occupational activity, but not to recreational activity. Conclusions: These results suggest that gender differences in physical activity are present among Lati-nos and that acculturation may be a correlate of various types of physical activity. (Ann Behav Med 2006, 31(2):138–144