Race differences in activity, fitness, and BMI in female eighth graders categorized by sports participation status.
The purpose of this study was to identify racial differences in physical activity (PA), fitness, and BMI in female 8th-grade sports participants and nonparticipants. Girls from 31 South Carolina middle schools (N = 1,903, 48% White; mean age = 13.6 +/- 0.63) reported PA and previous year sports-team participation, completed a submaximal fitness test, and had height and weight measured. Sports team participation was positively associated with PA and negatively associated with television viewing and BMI, in a dose-response manner. Compared with Whites, African-Americans reported less PA and more television viewing, and had greater BMI scores. Whereas PA intervention programs that incorporate a sports-team component could benefit all girls, African-American girls could be specifically targeted because of their lower physical activity.
Sirard
John R
JR
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA.
Pfeiffer
Karin A
KA
Dowda
Marsha
M
Pate
Russell R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D013022:South Carolina; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People