Physical Activity Levels in U.S. Latino/Hispanic Adults: Results From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) prevalence among U.S. Latino/Hispanic adults of diverse backgrounds is not well known. This study describes PA among a representative sample of U.S. Latino/Hispanic adults.

Methods: A population-based cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults (aged 18-74 years) participating in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos from March 2008 to June 2011 (N=16,415) was recruited in four urban areas from Miami, the Bronx, Chicago, and San Diego. Participants wore an Actical hip accelerometer for 1 week (n=12,253) and completed the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (n=15,741). Data were analyzed in 2015.

Results: Based on accelerometry, Hispanics/Latinos engaged in 23.8 minutes/day (10.3 minutes/day when only considering minutes from sustained 10-minute bouts) of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Individuals of Puerto Rican and Dominican background had the most minutes/day of MVPA (32.1 and 29.1, respectively), whereas those of Cuban background had the fewest (15.3). Based on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, 65% of Hispanic/Latinos met the aerobic component of 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Men and individuals of Puerto Rican background had the most minutes/day of leisure-time MVPA (30.3 and 30.2, respectively). Individuals of Puerto Rican and Dominican background had the most minutes/day of transportation-related PA (48.7 and 39.7, respectively). Individuals of Mexican and Central American background had the most minutes/day of work-related MVPA (90.7 and 93.2, respectively).

Conclusions: Among Hispanics/Latinos, self-reported data provided information on the type of PA and helped explain variability identified from accelerometer-assessed PA. These findings highlight variability in PA among Hispanics from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Figure 1

Prevalence of meeting 2008-PAG from self-report (N=15741) by age group, Hispanic/Latino background, and sex (HCHS/SOL 2008-2011). PAG, Physical Activity Guidelines Bars are prevalence for meeting 2008-PAG for Americans with 95 % CI from self-report data. Using PA self-report (from GPAQ), we operationalized meeting the 2008-PAG as either having ≥150 min/wk moderate PA, or ≥75 min/wk of vigorous PA, or ≥150 min/wk for a combination of the two (multiplying vigorous by 2 and summing). Self-reported moderate PA (min/day) was calculated by summing the minutes in moderate activity from the three domains (work, leisure, and transport). In contrast, self-reported vigorous PA (min/day) only included minutes from work and leisure domains.