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Multiple Measures of Physical Activity, Dietary Habits and Weight Status in African American and Hispanic or Latina Women

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Abstract

Compared measures of physical activity and dietary habits used in the Health Is Power (HIP) study, and described the associations of physical activity and dietary habits among African American and Hispanic or Latino women, adjusted for weight status. Cross-sectional baseline data were compared for community dwelling, healthy African American (N = 262) and Hispanic or Latina women (N = 148) who participated in HIP. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long form, the Check And Line Questionnaire (CALQ) log and accelerometry. Dietary habits were measured using NCI 24-h recall screeners, vegetable and fruit (VF) logs and the NCI Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ). Differences in physical activity and dietary habits were assessed using simultaneous 2 (ethnicity) × 3 (weight status) ANCOVAs adjusted for age and socioeconomic status. Women (M age = 44.4 ± 10.9 years) were obese (M = 34.0 ± 9.7 kg/m2), did not meet physical activity guidelines as measured by accelerometry (M = 19.4 ± 19.1 min MVPA/day) and ate few VF (M = 2.8 ± 2.7 servings/day). DHQ variables differed by weight status. IPAQ was associated with CALQ, and CALQ with accelerometry (P < .05). IPAQ was not associated with accelerometry. Regardless of ethnicity, normal weight women did more physical activity, reported more VF consumption, and consumed more fat calories than overweight and obese women (Ps < .05). African American women did more MVPA than Hispanic or Latino women (P < .001). Relationships between behaviors and weight status suggest accelerometry and DHQ are preferable, regardless of ethnicity; and studies may capture different domains of physical activity and dietary habits depending on measure used.

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Acknowledgments

The Health Is Power (HIP) project was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute (1R01CA109403) award to Dr. Rebecca E. Lee at the University of Houston.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas Obesity Research Center, University of Houston, 3855 Holman St., Garrison Rm 104, Houston, TX, 77204-6015, USA

    Rebecca E. Lee, Scherezade K. Mama, Ashley V. Medina, Charles S. Layne, Meggin Baxter & Daniel P. O’Connor

  2. Department of Health Disparities Research, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Jacqueline Y. Reese-Smith & Lorna McNeill

  3. Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    Jorge A. Banda

  4. Translational Obesity Research Program, Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

    Paul A. Estabrooks

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  1. Rebecca E. Lee
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Correspondence to Rebecca E. Lee.

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Lee, R.E., Mama, S.K., Medina, A.V. et al. Multiple Measures of Physical Activity, Dietary Habits and Weight Status in African American and Hispanic or Latina Women. J Community Health 36, 1011–1023 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-011-9403-5

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