title: Individual, social and environmental correlates of physical activity in overweight and obese African American and Hispanic women: A structural equation model analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ecologic frameworks account for multilevel factors related to physical activity (PA) and may be used to develop effective interventions for women. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of individual, social and environmental factors on PA among African American and Hispanic women using structural equation modeling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overweight and obese women (N=164, 65.9% African American) completed a 7-day accelerometer protocol, a physical assessment, and questionnaires on body image, self-efficacy, motivational readiness, social support, home environment for physical activity and perceived environment. Trained assessors evaluated each participant's neighborhood and collected objective measures of physical activity resources and the pedestrian environment. Assessments were completed between 2006 and 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural model fit was acceptable (RMSEA=.030). Body composition and image was negatively associated with PA, and motivational readiness had an indirect effect on PA through body composition and image. PA resources and the pedestrian environment operated through the perceived environment to positively influence neighborhood cohesion, which was positively associated with body composition and image.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PA is more heavily influenced by intrapersonal factors related to weight. Improving intrapersonal factors related to weight and perceptions of the environment may lead to increased PA in African American and Hispanic women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler St., Unit 1440, Houston, TX 77030, USA ; School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin, 26 Floor, Houston, TX, 77030, USA ; Texas Obesity Research Center, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, 3855 Holman St., Garrison Gym Rm 104, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Scherezade K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mama
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin, 26 Floor, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin, 26 Floor, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Sheryl A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McCurdy
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas School of Public Health-Austin Regional Campus, 1616 Guadalupe, Suite. 6.300, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler St., Unit 1440, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Lorna H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.affiliation: Texas Obesity Research Center, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, 3855 Holman St., Garrison Gym Rm 104, Houston, TX, USA ; College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 550 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: adults; body image; environment design; exercise; minority health; social environment