The Role of Neighborhoods in the Association between Acculturation and Physical Activity in Hispanic Children

Background/Purpose: Despite the importance of childhood physical activity, Hispanic children have lower physical activity levels compared to other ethnic groups. While acculturation is found to increase substance use and unhealthy diets, whether acculturation impacts physical activity is less clear. In addition, investigation into whether an association between acculturation and physical activity would depend on the neighborhood environment and potential mediating mechanisms is needed. In this study we examined the association between acculturation and physical activity in non-Hispanic white children and Hispanic children. We hypothesized that acculturation would be positively related to physical activity levels because physical activity by children is mostly performed in groups of peers and low acculturation may prevent children from accessing resources and opportunities for physical activity with peers. Second, we investigated if living in safe neighborhoods affects the association between acculturation and physical activity. Finally, we investigated whether physical activity norms mediated the pathway between neighborhood safety and physical activity after stratifying by acculturation status.

Methods: We used data from the Healthy Communities Study (2013-2015; N=2,858). Physical activity was measured using the 7-day Physical Activity Behavior Recall instrument. Language preference at home (English-speaking non-Hispanic whites [n=1,166]; English-speaking Hispanics [n=253]; Spanish-speaking Hispanics [n=1,439]) and length of residence in the US (US-born [n=2,661]; coming to US > 5 years ago [n=130]; coming to US ≤ 5 years ago [n=67]) were used as proxies of acculturation status. We conducted multilevel linear regression modeling to examine the association between acculturation status and physical activity in non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. Neighborhood safety, calculated based on child-reported neighborhood walking/traffic safety and crime, was included as a moderator. Neighborhood physical activity norms (e.g., seeing people or children being active on the streets) were included as a potential mediator in the pathway of neighborhood safety to physical activity by acculturation status. Covariates were child age and gender, parents’ education level, family income, and neighborhood socioeconomic status.

Results: First, Spanish-speaking Hispanics had lower physical activity levels than English-speaking non-Hispanic whites (b=-.94, p<.01). There was no significant difference in physical activity levels between other groups. Length of residence in the US was not significant correlate of physical activity. Next, we found a significant moderating effect of neighborhood safety in the association between language and physical activity. Specifically, Spanish-speaking Hispanics (vs. English-speaking non-Hispanic whites) had lower physical activity levels in less safe neighborhoods (b=-1.97, p<.001), but not in safer neighborhoods (b=-0.14, p>.05). No difference in physical activity levels was found between English-speaking Hispanics and English-speaking non-Hispanic whites in safer neighborhoods (b=-0.32, p>.05) or less safe neighborhoods (b=-0.83, p>.05). Finally, in mediation analyses, neighborhood physical activity norms (Sobel’s z-value=4.16, p<.001) mediated the association between neighborhood safety and physical activity among Spanish-speaking Hispanic children.

Conclusions/Implications: Study findings suggest that while Spanish-speaking Hispanic children have lower levels of physical activity than English-speaking non-Hispanic white children, safe neighborhoods can reduce this disparity by cultivating neighborhood norms that encourage physical activity. Thus, programs that focus on promoting neighborhood safety may be important to increase physical activity, particularly among less acculturated Hispanic children.