Barr-Anderson, D. J., Adams-Wynn, A. W., Alhassan, S., & Whitt-Glover, M. C. (2014). Culturally-appropriate, family- and community-based physical activity and healthy eating intervention for African-American middle school-aged girls: A feasibility pilot. Journal of Adolescent and Family Health, 6(2), 1-15.
This article evaluates an intervention aimed at improving African American females’ dietary habits and physical activity levels. Twelve adult females and twelve school-age girls participated. The participants had a positive view of the intervention and its effects. The intervention involved a 3-month physical activity program including sessions concerning healthy eating. The intervention was also associated with positive changes in the participants’ dietary habits and physical activity. This valuable source provides insights into the use of an effective intervention. It can help in developing a similar intervention.
Davis, K., Wojcik, J., & DeWaele, C. (2016). A comparison of the fitness, obesity, and physical activity levels of high school physical education students across race and gender. The Physical Educator, 73(1), 15-31.
This study aimed at comparing obesity, PA levels, the fitness of high-school students of different genders and races. The study involved 413 participants. Male participants scored better on PA, body fat, and fitness data as compared to females. African American students had significantly poorer results than the participants of other races. This article is a relevant source as it sheds light on the influence of physical activity school programs on students’ body weight and fitness with the focus on such variables as gender and race.
Dwyer-Lindgren, L., Freedman, G., Engell, R., Fleming, T., Lim, S., Murray, C., & Mokdad, A. (2013). Prevalence of physical activity and obesity in US counties, 2001–2011: A road map for action. Population Health Metrics, 11(1), 1-11.
The study examined the correlation between physical activity and body mass. The data of two national surveys were used, and over 3.7 million Americans aged 20 years or older participated. No correlation between physical activity and body mass was found. The increase in levels of physical activity was apparent during the period in question. Nevertheless, the growth of the obesity rate was also quite considerable between 2001 and 2011. This valuable source provides substantial quantitative data proving that the level of physical activity is not the major factor affecting people’s body weight and other variables should be taken into account.
Fradkin, C., Wallander, J., Elliott, M., Cuccaro, P., & Schuster, M. (2016). Regular physical activity has a differential association with reduced obesity among diverse youth in the United States. Journal of Health Psychology, 21(8), 1607-1619.
This article explores the association between physical activity levels and body weight in students of fifth and seventh grades with a focus on race and gender. Over 4800 students participated. It was found that regular low-intensity physical exercises were associated with decreased obesity in White and Hispanic male populations while no similar associations were found among African American students of both genders. This article is another source proving that physical activity is not the essential and even influential factor affecting obesity rate among African American school-age children.
McAlexander, K., Banda, J., McAlexander, J., & Lee, R. (2009). Physical activity resource attributes and obesity in low-income African Americans. Journal of Urban Health, 86(5), 696-707.
This article examines the association between sidewalk connectivity and people’s BMI and body fat. 216 low-income African-Americans participated in the research. It was found that higher sidewalk connectivity was associated with higher BMI and body fat. The major value of the study is the identification of the importance of considering several factors associated with the environmental status of people such as crime rate or the like. This valuable source explores the impact of an important factor on people’s body weight. It also proves that several factors should be analyzed.
McGee, B., Richardson, V., Johnson, G., & Johnson, C. (2015). Perceptions of food intake, physical activity, and obesity among African-American children in the Lower Mississippi Delta. American Journal of Health Promotion, 31(4), 333-335.
This article examines the target population’s views on healthy eating and physical activity. The study involved 70 low-income African American children aged between eight and 13 years old. According to the results, the participants knew about healthy eating habits and the importance of physical activity, but they did not adhere to healthy dietary patterns and increased physical activity. This is a valuable source as it provides qualitative data concerning children’s views on the matter and the way this knowledge affects their behavior. It shows that interventions should not be confined to discussions of certain healthy patterns but should include encouragement and involvement into specific activities.