Acculturation and Physical Activity Among Latinas Enrolled in a 12-Month Walking Intervention.
Rodney P Joseph, Tanya J Benitez, Barbara E Ainsworth and 2 others
PMID 28322669WHAT IT FOUND
Lower levels of some acculturation and assimilation dimensions were linked to more moderate-to-vigorous activity in postpartum Latinas.
The walking group also had more activity than controls at 6 and 12 months.
Key findings
01Women with lower English Proficiency or Language Pattern acculturation scores engaged in more accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous activity.
02Women with lower Childhood Interaction with Mainstream Society or Functional Integration assimilation scores engaged in more accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous activity.
03The walking intervention group had more accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous activity than controls at 6 and 12 months, but no acculturation or assimilation dimension interacted with group assignment or with group over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 81 of the original 139 women provided sufficient data for this analysis. Participants were a convenience sample of mostly Mexican-descent Latinas from one region, so results may not apply to other Latinas. Acculturation and assimilation were measured only at 12 months, so changes over the year were not assessed. The study reports associations, not proof that these factors caused activity differences. Some subscales had few women at the highest level, and a subscale was dropped because almost everyone had the same score. No acculturation or assimilation dimension interacted with group assignment or with group over time, so these factors did not show who benefited more from the walking intervention. Immigration status was not collected, so the paper cannot determine whether it influenced the associations.
Declared interests
The paper is marked as supported by N.I.H., Extramural. The article text does not report author conflict-of-interest declarations.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that acculturation or assimilation caused the activity differences. The study observed associations, and no acculturation or assimilation dimension interacted with group assignment or with group over time.