title: Physical activity among African American and Latino middle school girls: consistent beliefs, expectations, and experiences across two sites.
abstract: Physical inactivity is a major public health concern. Low levels of physical activity are reported in many subgroups of women including adolescent girls. More data are needed to better understand factors related to physical activity participation in adolescent girls. Therefore, we explored adolescent girls' reasons for participating and not participating in physical activity. Two independent samples were taken in California and Texas; the total sample included thirty-four African American and Latino girls. Six focus groups were conducted by trained facilitators. Based on independent qualitative analyses, six replicated themes emerged from the focus groups. Fun, social support, and concern with body image facilitated participation in activity. In contrast, negative experiences in physical education classes, concerns about appearance after activity, and lack of opportunity impeded participation in activity. Overall, the girls showed an interest in physical activity and identified activity motivators and barriers. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, USA.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yancey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sharkey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D017677:Age Distribution; D001213:Asian; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People