BackgroundMexican Americans are the largest minority group in the US and suffer disproportionate rates of diseases related to the lack of physical activity (PA). Since many of these Mexican Americans are Spanish-speaking, it is important to validate a Spanish language physical activity assessment tool that can be used in epidemiology as well as clinical practice. This study explored the utility of two Spanish translated physical activity questionnaires, the Stanford Brief Activity Survey (SBAS) and the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), for use among Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans.MethodsThirty-four participants (13 M, 21 F; 37.6 ± 9.5 y) completed each of the two PA surveys twice, one week apart. During that week 31 participants also wore an ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer for 7 days to objectively measure PA. Minutes of moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) were determined from the accelerometer data using Freedson and Matthews cut points.ResultsValidity, determined by Spearman correlation coefficients between questionnaire scores and minutes of ActiGraph measured MVPA were 0.38 and 0.45 for the SBAS and RAPA, respectively. Test-retest reliability was 0.61 for the SBAS and 0.65 for the RAPA. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.60 and 0.47 for the SBAS, and 0.73 and 0.75 for the RAPA. Participants who were classified as meeting the 2008 National Physical Activity Guidelines by the RAPA engaged in significantly (p < 0.05) more minutes of MVPA than those who were not, while there were no significant differences in minutes of MVPA classified by the SBAS.ConclusionsThe SBAS and the RAPA are both reasonably valid measures for quickly assessing PA and determining compliance to the PA guidelines in Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans. Although the two questionnaires had comparable reliability, the RAPA was better able to distinguish between those who met and did not meet National PA Guidelines.

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Background Less than 50% of Latinas meet physical activity (PA) recommendations. Acculturation is a complex cultural phenomenon that may influence health behaviors, but associations between acculturation and Latinas’ activity and sedentary levels are unclear. Aim To examine associations of acculturation with Latinas’ domain-specific and total PA as well as sedentary time. Method We analyzed baseline data collected between 2011 and 2013 among 410 Latinas (18–65 years) from a PA promotion intervention in San Diego, CA (Fe en Acción/Faith in Action). Participants wore an accelerometer to assess moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and sedentary time and completed a survey assessing domain-specific PA, sociodemographics, and acculturation as measured by length of residence in the United States and the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale (BAS) for Hispanics. Higher acculturation was defined as longer residence in the United States or being either assimilated or bicultural as per scores on the Hispanic and Anglo domains of the BAS. Results Based on weekly averages from the accelerometer, Latinas spent 103 minutes in MVPA and 76% of total activity in sedentary time. Only 32% met MVPA recommendations via self-reported leisure-time and transportation PA. Longer residence in the United States was inversely associated with reporting any transportation or occupational PA and meeting MVPA recommendations. Assimilated/bicultural Latinas had significantly less accelerometer-based total MVPA and higher sedentary time than their lower acculturated counterparts. Conclusions Overall, higher acculturation, based on either measure, was related to less activity. Our findings suggest interventions tailored to the acculturation levels of Latinas are needed to help reduce disparities in Latinas’ PA and sedentary behaviors.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a pilot community-based behavioral intervention on the home food environment in U.S. households. Parents (21 females, 2 males; age = 36 ± 5.5 years; 78% Hispanic) of elementary school-aged children attended a 10-week dietary improvement behavioral intervention targeting an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption and a reduction in sugar intake. Home food availability of fruit, vegetables, and sugar-laden foods and beverages were assessed before and after the intervention using a modified version of the Home Food Inventory. Relative to baseline, the intervention resulted in significant increases in fruit availability (7.7 ± 3.2 items vs. 9.4 ± 3.1 items; p = 0.004) and low sugar cereal (2.3 ± 1.4 types vs. 2.7 ± 1.4 types; p = 0.033). There was a significant reduction in sugar-sweetened beverage availability (3.2 ± 1.9 types vs. 1.7 ± 1.3 types; p = 0.004). There was a significant increase in the number of households with accessible ready-to-eat vegetables and fruit, and a significant reduction in available prepared desserts, and candy (p < 0.01). There were no significant changes in the availability of vegetables and sugar-laden cereals. The current intervention resulted in positive changes in the home food environment. Further research to confirm these results in a randomized controlled trial is warranted.

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To examine the feasibility of using a culturally‐tailored sugar screening tool for reducing sugar intake, a sugar screening questionnaire was administered to twenty‐four healthy Mexican‐American adults (10 M, 14 F; Age = 39.8±11.1 y; BMI = 32.1±1.5 kg/m2) to assess the primary contributors of sugar to their diet from which personalized dietary recommendations were given. Dietary data (3‐day food record) was assessed at baseline and one month post intervention. Relative to baseline, participants reported an 11% reduction in energy intake (2100 vs. 1862 kcal/d; p<0.05) associated with a 24% reduction in total fat intake (88 vs. 67 g/d; p<0.005). There was a non‐significant reduction in mean total‐ and added‐sugar intake (13% and 24%, respectively; n.s.), mainly driven by the 58% of the sample who reduced their sugar consumption (−51±12 g/d). Modest correlations between sugar intake assessed by the screening tool and by 3 day food record at baseline (r=0.614; p<0.005) and follow‐up (r=0.633; p<0.05) suggest that the sugar screening tool was effective at assessing sugar intake. Data from the sugar screening tool revealed a 51% decrease (28.4 vs. 14.0 g/day; p<0.05) in sugar from sweetened beverages. While no reductions in total sugar intake were observed, the sugar screening tool was effective for assessing sugar and for reducing the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in a sample of healthy Mexican‐Americans.

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