Social context of physical activity and weight status in working-class populations.
BACKGROUND
Persistent disparities suggest that multiple aspects of social context may influence leisure-time physical activity levels and weight status in multiethnic, working-class populations.


METHODS
Among participants in two randomized, controlled intervention trials (n = 1,969 in 10 health centers; n = 1545 in 26 manufacturing businesses) we used general linear mixed models to examine the relationship of variables posited by a social-contextual framework for behavior change with h/wk of self-reported leisure-time physical activity and with body mass index (BMI; weight [kg]/[height (m)2]) at baseline, adjusting for clustering within study site.


RESULTS
Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic position were independently associated with leisure-time physical activity in both settings; multivariable models explained 15% of the variance in health centers and 11% in small businesses. Leisure-time physical activity and motivation to change lifestyle behaviors were inversely associated with BMI, adjusting for individual, interpersonal, and neighborhood factors. Models explained 12% of the variance in BMI in health centers and 10% in small businesses.


CONCLUSIONS
A social-contextual framework highlights the contribution of social class and race/ethnicity in the variance in leisure-time physical activity and weight status but suggests other behavioral influences vary in multiethnic, working-class populations.
Peterson
Karen E
KE
Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., Building 2-331, Boston, MA, USA.
Dubowitz
Tamara
T
Stoddard
Anne M
AM
Troped
Philip J
PJ
Sorensen
Glorian
G
Emmons
Karen M
KM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003469:Culture; D003710:Demography; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity; D011203:Poverty; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors