¿Qué Pasa Con Papá? Exploring Paternal Responsibilities and Physical Activity in Mexican-Heritage Families.

Mexican-heritage children often achieve less physical activity (PA) than their counterparts and are at greater risk for associated comorbidities. Child PA is greatly influenced by their parents, yet researchers have rarely involved fathers in community health promotion. The purpose of this study is to examine Mexican-heritage fathers' perceptions of responsibilities and self-reported activities. Promotoras recruited fathers (n = 300) from colonies on the Texas-Mexico border and administered Spanish-language surveys including paternal responsibilities, father PA, and PA co-participation. Two researchers coded responses. Open-ended items were coded and cross-tabulations between responsibilities and activities with children were examined. Fathers reported feeling monetary responsibilities most often. Fathers reported engaging in more activities with their sons than daughters; however, fathers engaged in very few activities specifically with their children. Feeling responsible for family expenses was associated with paternal PA co-participation with family and children. This study adds clarity to the role of Mexican-heritage fathers in child PA. Findings highlight potential areas for intervention including supporting fathers to take an active role in their children's PA.

Papás Activos: Associations between Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Personal Networks among Fathers Living in Texas Colonias.

Despite growing health disparities in Latino populations related to lack of physical activity (PA), little is known regarding the impact of social networks on PA and sedentary behavior among a sample of Latino fathers residing in functionally rural colonias. Fathers wore accelerometers and responded to questions regarding their self-efficacy and characteristics of who they were active with most often. Fathers (n = 47) attained a mean of 73.3 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (SD = 23.8) per day and were sedentary for a mean of 364.0 min (SD = 74.4) per day. In total, fathers reported 205 alters and significantly more family members (M = 3.60, SD = 1.64) than friends (M = 0.77, SD = 1.37). Sedentary time was positively associated with number of peers and inversely related to the number of children reported. Minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA was significantly associated with greater self-efficacy and number of family members reported. This study contributes to the evidence by further examining PA correlates of Latino fathers from functionally rural colonia communities. Additionally, this study supported both family systems theory and the socio-ecological model as it details the interpersonal and familial influences of PA behavior. Thus, supports for family activity promotion and programs which impact familial norms and activity at the family level may be particularly useful.

Assessing Physical Activity in Temporary Spaces: Application of SOPARC / iSOPARC® for Play Streets.

Purpose: The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) is a valid, reliable method for understanding how people engage in physical activity (PA) in various permanent settings (e.g., parks) and contexts. However, its utility, reliability, and validity in temporary spaces has not been examined. Temporary spaces can provide PA opportunities often absent in low-income communities due to inadequate safe permanent PA spaces. Play Streets involve temporary closure of streets or other publicly accessibly spaces (e.g., parking lots, open-fields) to create safe play spaces for a specified time-period. We describe the utility, reliability, and validity of using SOPARC to assess PA in temporary spaces like Play Streets. Method: Trained SOPARC/iSOPARC (iPad App) research staff completed systematic observations during Play Streets occurring in four diverse low-income rural U.S. communities during summer 2017. Results: We successfully used iSOPARC to document PA and how spaces were used at Play Streets (n = 16), confirming its utility, reliability, and validity. Unlike observations of permanent spaces, target areas could not be pre-established since play spaces often changed during set-up, requiring time onsite to identify target areas and boundaries. Play areas frequently appeared and/or disappeared during Play Streets, and this was systematically addressed by using physical target area boundaries instead of activities. Conclusions: Understanding how temporary spaces are used for PA is critical for promoting their use. SOPARC/iSOPARC methods are useful in a Play Streets' context; however, systematic methods and training are needed to address inherent unpredictable and dynamic changes within and across target areas.

Come together, play, be active: Physical activity engagement of school-age children at Play Streets in four diverse rural communities in the U.S.

Across the U.S., Play Streets - temporary street closures creating safe places for play for a few hours- are being implemented in urban areas during summer. Play Streets have never been implemented or evaluated in rural communities but have the potential to address challenges residents face accessing safe physical activity opportunities in these areas. Community organizations in four diverse low-income rural communities (selected to represent African American, American Indian, Latino, or White, non-Hispanic populations) received mini-grants in 2017 to implement four, three-hour Play Streets during the summer focusing on school-aged children in elementary-to-middle school. Physical activity was measured using Digi-walker (Yamax-SW200) pedometers and the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC/iSOPARC). Sixteen Play Streets were implemented in rural Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas communities during June-September 2017. A total of 370 children (mean age = 8.81 years [SD = 2.75]; 55.0% female) wore pedometers across all 16 Play Streets (µâ€¯= 23.13 [SD = 8.59] children/Play Street). School-aged children with complete data (n = 353) wore pedometers for an average of 92.97 min (SD = 60.12) and accrued a mean of 42.08 steps/min (SD = 17.27), with no significant differences between boys (µâ€¯= 43.82, SD = 15.76) and girls (µâ€¯= 40.66, SD = 18.34). iSOPARC observations revealed no significant differences in child activity by sex; however, male teens were more active than female teens. Most adults were sedentary during Play Streets according to pedometer and iSOPARC data. Children in diverse rural communities are physically active at Play Streets. Play Streets are a promising intervention for promoting active play among children that lack safe opportunities to be active.

Process Evaluation of the BearStand Behavioral Intervention: A Social Cognitive Theory-Based Approach to Reduce Occupational Sedentary Behavior.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the process evaluation of the behavioral intervention group of a multicomponent workplace intervention, BearStand, to reduce employees' sitting time using sit-stand workstations and behavioral strategies. METHODS: Process evaluation metrics: dose delivered, dose-received exposure, dose-received satisfaction, and context were collected using an online survey. Participants included employees of a US university. RESULTS: Overall, 38 of 52 participants completed the process evaluation. The majority were satisfied (53%) with the intervention. Participants' interactions with intervention materials decreased over time (73.7%, week 1, to 52.6%, week 13), and 42% and 33% of participants used suggested videos and apps, respectively. Participants found goal setting and self-regulation strategies to be the most helpful and identified workplace-related contextual barriers that impacted intervention engagement. CONCLUSIONS: Future interventions should incorporate more engaging materials for participants, reduce contextual barriers, and facilitate use of apps and videos.