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BW-CPA
Black Women, Culture, and Physical Activity

Summary

Lack of physical activity is an independent risk factor for various health conditions including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, obesity, and select cancers. Lack of physical activity has also been implicated in a multitude of negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety and decreased quality of life. Despite the noted benefits of physical activity, engagement among minorities and women; particularly Black women remains low. Although rates of inactivity for Black women are problematic across the lifespan, rates of inactivity begin to increase during young adulthood. In response to the lower rates of physical activity among Black women, there has been an increase in intervention studies promoting physical activity. However, inadequate attention to the potential influence of culture on physical activity among Black women may contribute to the mixed success of current interventions. Further, lack of theoretical models that adequately account for the complexity of culture in relation to physical activity limit the understanding of the mechanisms influencing physical activity. The project will examine the influence of culture on physical activity attitudes and behaviors among Black female college students using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TBP) and PEN-3 model grounded in an ecological approach. The objectives of the proposed study are to: (a) examine the relationship between TPB constructs and physical activity engagement among Black female college students, (b) examine the influence of PEN-3 factors on physical activity engagement among Black female college students, and (c) evaluate the relative contributions of TPB and PEN-3 constructs on physical activity engagement among Black female college students. This study extends the health disparities literature by applying theoretical models to investigate leisure time physical activity behaviors of Black female college students. This research is situated to inform the future development and implementation of physical activity interventions for Black women.

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