Patterns and correlates of physical activity in Mexican origin youth in Houston, Texas

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Mexican origin youth is alarming. Further research is needed to understand the factors associated with routine physical activity (PA), a protective factor against obesity, in this population, including the settings in which PA occurs. Using a cross-sectional sample of 1,146 Mexican origin youth residing in Houston, TX, we sought to characterize PA patterns and identify individual, family, and community correlates of PA. The primary outcome was a dichotomous measure of adherence to national PA guidelines, which recommend 60 minutes or more of PA daily for adolescents. An equal proportion of boys and girls aged 12 to 17 years participated in in-person interviews. Nearly three quarters were US-born. Fifty percent of youth were overweight, among which 30% of girls and 37% of boys were obese. Bivariate analyses indicate that boys were significantly more likely than girls to report adhering to the PA guidelines (58% vs. 35%), as were youth with highly acculturated parents relative to youth with less acculturated parents (53% vs. 44%). Reporting a greater number of days/week attending PE class and more time being active during PE were significantly associated with meeting PA recommendations. Age, BMI, nativity, and parental demographic characteristics (excluding acculturation) were not associated with meeting recommendations. Future analyses will include multivariate models and will examine the contributions of different activity settings to overall activity levels. School health promotion efforts may be one arena in which to enhance PA among Mexican origin youth, and others will be explored.