title: Environmental and cultural correlates of physical activity parenting practices among Latino parents with preschool-aged children: Niños Activos.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Latino children are at high risk of becoming obese. Physical activity (PA) can help prevent obesity. Parents can influence children's PA through parenting practices. This study aimed to examine the independent contributions of (1) sociodemographic, (2) cultural, (3) parent perceived environmental, and (4) objectively measured environmental factors, to PA parenting practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional sample of Latino parents (n = 240) from Harris County, TX in 2011-2012 completed validated questionnaires to assess PA parenting practices, acculturation, familism, perception of their neighborhood environment, and demographics. Home addresses were mapped and linked to Census block-level crime and traffic data. Distance to the closest park was mapped by GIS. Regression models were built in a hierarchical step-wise fashion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Combined models showed R2 of 6.8% to 38.9% for different parenting practices. Significant correlations included sociodemographic variables with having outdoor toys available, psychological control, and promotion of inactivity. Cultural factors correlated with PA safety concern practices. Perceived environmental attributes correlated with five of seven parenting practices, while objectively-measured environmental attributes did not significantly correlate with PA parenting practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions promoting PA among Latino preschoolers may need to address the social-ecological context in which families live to effectively promote PA parenting, especially parents' perceptions of neighborhoods.
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA. teresiao@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Teresia M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cerin
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Tzu-An
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sheryl O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baranowski
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D002668:Child Rearing; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D004777:Environment; D015444:Exercise; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D016487:Parenting / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012449:Safety; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas