title: Self-reported physical activity patterns among low-income Latina women in Arizona.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adherence to recommendations for physical activity (PA) among adults in the United States is reported as poor, particularly among low-income Latinos. In particular, Latina women are at increased risk for inactivity and chronic illness, but national health survey reports aggregate data across demographic strata, limiting descriptive information that could guide targeted PA promotion. The purpose of the study was to determine PA patterns among a low-income group of Latina women in the southwestern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of a large community intervention trial to increase cancer prevention behaviors, PA data were collected from 1,006 Latina women using a modified version of the Arizona Activity Frequency Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The weekly PA mean across all exercise types was calculated to be 9.3 ± 16.4 hours, which is substantially higher than the daily PA recommendation of 30 minutes most days of the week. The highest daily PA means were associated with occupational activities: Cleaning, 2.7 hours; walking, 2.5 hours; lifting, 1.9 hours; and light yard work, 1.0 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of low-income Latina women, the average PA hours per week exceed the current PA recommendations. Data collection instruments used in this population could more accurately assess PA if they included a wider range of activities and specific questions about work-related activity.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona. Electronic address: llsmith6@asu.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors.forename: Linda K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Larkey
authors.affiliation: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Denise J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Roe
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bucho-Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Kathylynn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saboda
authors.affiliation: American College of Sports Medicine, School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ainsworth
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001130:Arizona; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011203:Poverty; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires