Utilitarian and Recreational Walking Among Spanish- and English-Speaking Latino Adults in Micropolitan US Towns. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Walking among Latinos in US Micropolitan towns may vary by language spoken. METHODS: In 2011-2012, we collected telephone survey and built environment (BE) data from adults in six towns located within micropolitan counties from two states with sizable Latino populations. We performed mixed-effects logistic regression modeling to examine relationships between ethnicity-language group [Spanish-speaking Latinos (SSLs); English-speaking Latinos (ESLs); and English-speaking non-Latinos (ENLs)] and utilitarian walking and recreational walking, accounting for socio-demographic, lifestyle and BE characteristics. RESULTS: Low-income SSLs reported higher amounts of utilitarian walking than ENLs (p=0.007), but utilitarian walking in this group decreased as income increased. SSLs reported lower amounts of recreational walking than ENLs (p=0.004). ESL-ENL differences were not significant. We identified no statistically significant interactions between ethnicity-language group and BE characteristics. DISCUSSION: Approaches to increase walking in micropolitan towns with sizable SSL populations may need to account for this group's differences in walking behaviors.

published proceedings

  • J Immigr Minor Health

altmetric score

  • 12.272

author list (cited authors)

  • Doescher, M. P., Lee, C., Saelens, B. E., Lee, C., Berke, E. M., Adachi-Mejia, A. M., Patterson, D. G., & Moudon, A. V.

citation count

  • 9

complete list of authors

  • Doescher, Mark P||Lee, Chanam||Saelens, Brian E||Lee, Chunkuen||Berke, Ethan M||Adachi-Mejia, Anna M||Patterson, Davis G||Moudon, Anne Vernez

publication date

  • January 2017