Communication resources for obesity prevention among African American and Latino residents in an urban neighborhood.
African Americans and Latinos are at disproportionately high risk for obesity and for the chronic conditions and diseases associated with it. This study uses communication infrastructure theory to explore how connections to neighborhood communication resources and communication with family members can affect residents' regular exercise and healthy eating behaviors-two of the most direct strategies for achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Regression analyses revealed that connections to the neighborhood storytelling network and family interaction predicted residents' regular exercise and that family interaction had the strongest effect on the likelihood of exercising regularly. Family interaction was the only independent variable that predicted residents' daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Implications of these findings for community health programs and theory development are discussed.
a Department of Communication and School of Public Health , Georgia State University , Atlanta , Georgia , USA.
Holley A
HA
Wilkin
Vikki S
VS
Katz
Sandra J
SJ
Ball-Rokeach
Heather J
HJ
Hether
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003142:Communication; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012944:Social Support; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult