Girls are less physically active (PA) than boys and experience significant decline in activity during adolescence. Although culture and type of community influence PA choices, there is limited research on PA in rural and urban communities. This study is part of a larger study funded by NIH. Our purpose was to compare black and white rural and urban adolescent girls on PA and potential determinants of PA. The sample (N=1689) consisted of 542 rural and 1147 urban eighth grade girls from 31 schools. Two-way ANOVA revealed a race by type of community interaction in PA. Among whites, urban girls reported more vigorous PA than rural girls. This pattern was reversed among blacks with rural girls reporting more vigorous activity than urban girls. Rural girls reported greater intentions to be PA; family members encouraged PA, participated in sports or activities more often with them than urban girls. Among whites, urban girls reported safer environments for walking and jogging than rural girls. Rural and urban black girls perceived unsafe environments for walking. Although white girls had greater self-efficacy, black girls experienced greater enjoyment of PE than white girls. Differences in BMI and moderate PA participation were also found. These findings suggest a multilevel community health approach to increasing activity in black and white adolescent girls in rural and urban communities. We will address the implications of our findings on CHN practice including environmental safety issues, importance of family participation, self-efficacy and enjoyment of PA in the four population groups.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify factors affecting physical activity among rural and urban adolescent girls. 2. Describe differences in safety, self-efficacy and other factors influencing physical activity in rural and urban adolescent girls. 3. Describe community interventions to promote physical activity in the four population groups
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.