Determining Trends and Factors Associated with Self-Reported Physical Activity among Adolescents in Rural North Carolina

Sina Kazemzadeh, Chloe E. Opper, Xiangming Fang and Suzanne Lazorick ()
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Sina Kazemzadeh: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
Chloe E. Opper: ECU Health Residency Program, Pediatrics, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
Xiangming Fang: Department of Biostatistics, College of Allied Health, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
Suzanne Lazorick: Departments of Pediatrics and Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-13

Abstract: It is important to better understand factors associated with physical activity (PA) levels in adolescents in rural areas. Cross-sectional data were used to obtain self-reported PA levels among adolescents in a school-based intervention in fall 2018. Demographic data, environmental variables, and cardiovascular fitness (PACER score) were also measured. Analyses included a two-sample t -test, ANOVA, a Chi-square test , and a linear regression model. Participants included 3799 7th graders. Male ( p < 0.0001), white ( p < 0.0001), and healthy weight ( p < 0.0001) participants reported more days of PA. The correlation between school physical education (PE) and PACER was modest (r = 0.27, p < 0.0001). Multiple linear regression model showed significant effects of school PE ( p = 0.0011), gender ( p < 0.0001), race ( p < 0.0001), and weight category ( p < 0.0001) on self-reported PA. The percentage of students reporting 60 min of PA for 5 ( p < 0.0001) or 7 ( p = 0.0307) days per week tended to be higher with increased days per week of school PE. Policy changes that increase PA and PE in middle schools may present opportunities to improve PA levels in adolescents, with emphasis on being inclusive and mindful of minority and female youth.

Keywords: health disparities; community-based research; environment; obesity; physical education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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