Psychosocial Correlates of Physical Activity in African-American Girls

Objectives: This study explored potential correlates of physical activity (PA) in African-American (AA) girls. Methods: PA was measured by accelerometry in 301 AA girls who also completed a written log. Demographic, psychosocial, and physical measures were entered into a hierarchical multiple linear regression to determine influences on PA. Ten independent variables (3 blocks: physical, personal, family) were examined while controlling for social desirability. Results: Personal and physical blocks were significant and explained 18.8% of the total variance. Five factors were correlated with PA: body mass index (BMI), age, stage of maturation, number of children in the household, and athletic competence self-concept. Conclusions: Understanding the influences on PA will aid health promotion professionals in developing population specific intervention strategies to promote PA.