Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity among Hispanic Youth.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to better understand barriers and facilitators to physical activity among low-income, Hispanic youth. METHODS: Low-income Hispanic middle and high school students were recruited to participate in this study from a public charter school district in Houston, TX. Questionnaire development and psychometric validation included scale development and question pretesting, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), construct validity, and test-retest reliability of the scales. RESULTS: EFA resulted in three subscales for the Barriers to Youth Physical Activity (BYPA) scale: competing interests, environmental interests, and social barriers. CFA suggested that this three-factor model fit data adequately after removing two items that had high loading on all three factors. The BYPA subscales were internally consistent and stable. All three BYPA subscale scores were negatively correlated with self-reported physical activity. EFA for the facilitators to youth physical activity (FYPA) scale resulted in three subscales: enjoyment, family support, and socialization. CFA suggested that this three-factor model fit data adequately after removing one item that had high loading on all three factors. The FYPA subscales were internally consistent and stable. All three FYPA subscale scores were significantly positively correlated with physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The development and validation of the BYPA and FYPA scales resulted in a total of six valid subscales for assessing barriers and facilitators to physical activity among low-income, Hispanic youth. The developed subscales have the potential to assist future efforts in designing physical activity interventions to better address disparities in physical activity levels among this population.

Economic hardship and child intake of foods high in saturated fats and added sugars: the mediating role of parenting stress among high-risk families.

OBJECTIVE: Economic hardship (EH) may link to poorer child diet, however whether this association is due to resource limitations or effects on family functioning is unknown. This study examines whether parenting stress mediates the association between EH and child consumption of foods high in saturated fats and added sugars (SFAS). DESIGN: Data were collected from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. EH was assessed using eight items collected when children were between 1-9 years old. Mothers reported parenting stress and frequency of child consumption of high SFAS foods when children were 9 years old. Latent growth curve modelling (LGCM) and structural equation modelling tested direct associations between the starting level/rate of change in EH and high SFAS food consumption, and parenting stress as a mediator of the association. SETTING: Twenty US cities. PARTICIPANTS: Mothers/children (n 3846) followed birth through age 9 years, oversampled 'high-risk', unmarried mothers. RESULTS: LGCM indicated a curvilinear trend in EH from ages 1-9, with steeper increases from ages 3-9 years. EH did not directly predict the frequency of high SFAS foods. Average EH at 3 and 5 years and change in EH from ages 1-9 predicted higher parenting stress, which in turn predicted more frequent consumption of high SFAS foods. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest it may be important to consider parenting stress in early prevention efforts given potential lasting effects of early life EH on child consumption of high SFAS foods. Future research should explore how supports and resources may buffer effects of EH-related stress on parents and children.

Stability and Change in Early Life Economic Hardship Trajectories and the Role of Sex in Predicting Adolescent Overweight/Obesity.

There is evidence that poverty is related to adverse child health outcomes. Yet, evidence is lacking on how economic hardship experiences during early childhood are related to adolescent obesity, how the relationship may differ by child sex, in addition to the potential child and maternal behavioral factors that link economic hardship and adolescent obesity. The purpose of the current study was to address this gap by using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1814). The analytic sample included 50.5% girls, 20% experiencing overweight status, and 19% experiencing obesity. Majority of the adolescents were born to non-Hispanic black (49%), U.S. born (86%), married/cohabitating mothers (61%) with high school or greater level of education (75%). The economic hardship trajectory classes were determined using the latent growth mixture modeling approach and supported a 4-class trajectory model, with 5% of the adolescents in the high-increasing economic hardship trajectory class. The children in the high-increasing economic hardship class had increased odds of developing overweight/obesity in adolescence compared to those in low-stable class. This association was significantly moderated by child sex (i.e., relationship was significant for adolescent boys). Parenting stress and child snacking behaviors did not significantly mediate the association between economic hardship classes and overweight/obesity. Economic hardships that increase through early childhood need to be recognized as an obesity risk factor particularly for adolescent boys.