PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRACKING OF EURO- AND MEXICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN OVER EIGHT YEARS

Abstract

716 We investigated changes in leisure and work physical activity (PA) over 8 years in 113 Mexican-American (MA) and 75 Euro-American (EA) women (baseline age=31 yr) who had a 4-year-old child at baseline. Participants completed 2 Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall (PAR) interviews 6 months apart at baseline and 2 additional PARs 6 months apart 8 years later. Data from the two PARs at each measurement period were averaged. At baseline, subjects averaged 7.3 hours of leisure PA and 3.7 hours of work PA weekly. At follow-up, they averaged 12.5 hours of leisure PA and 7.5 hours of work PA weekly. MA and EA women had similar overall PA levels (i.e., daily energy expenditure (EE) at baseline (p < .10) and at follow-up (p < .58), and both groups increased PA over time (p < .001). Significant tracking in daily EE (r = .35; p < .001) and in moderate (r = .47; p < .001) and vigorous (r = .47; p < .001) work PA was evidenced over time for MAs. Daily EE (r = .32; p < .005) and moderate (r = .42, p < .001) and vigorous (r = .27, p < .02) work PA also tracked for EAs. Results indicate PA tracks over 8 years in MA and EA women, with tracking stronger in work than in leisure environments. The finding that both groups increased PA over time is contrary to the usual finding that PA declines with age. This unexpected increase may be attributed to changes in mothers' roles as children aged from 4 to 12 years. Further study on how the many roles of motherhood influence PA is recommended. Supported by NIH HL52449