JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENTHEALTH 1992;13:606-611
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Aerobic Fitness in African-American Young Adults BARBARA 6. AINSWORTH, VICTORIA N. SCHNYDER,
Ph.D.,
M.P.H,
CAROLYN B. BERRY, Ph.D.,
AND SESSIB R. VICKERS
This cross-sectional study identified the leisure-time
KEY WORDS:
physical activity (LTPA)and aerobic fitness levels of 189 African-American young adult college freshmen. LTPA was measured with the Lipid Research Clinics (LRC), Godii Leisure-Time Exercise, and the College Alumnus physical activity questionnaires. The Physical Activity Index (PAR, an index of walking, stair climbing, and recreational sports participation, was obtained from the College Alumnus questionnaire. Aerobic fitness was measured indirectly with the Cooper 12-Minute Walking/ Running Test. More women 032%)than men 63%) were cla&fied as itracffue(strenuous exercise or labor 0.05). Women reported engaging in less leisure-time physical activity than men, based on the Godin frequency of weekly exercise, LRC, and PA1 LTPA scores (p < 0.05). As expected, men were taller, weighed more, and had a lower resting pulse rate than women (p < 0.001). There were no differences in age or BMI between men and women (p > 0.05).
Discussion This study shows a profile of low leisure-time physical activity, low aerobic fitness, and moderately high body fatness in young adult African-American men and women. Women were consistently less active and less aerobically fit than men on all LTPA and aerobic fitness measures. The low levels of LTPA for the subjects in this study are consistent
with reports from other surveys in African-American adults (l-6) and adolescents (8). Energy expended per week on the Physical Activity Index increased with higher LRC physical activity scores, suggesting these two instruments are measuring similar aspects of LTPA. PAI kcal-week-’ values were low for groups and less than the recommended 2,000 kcal-week-’ value associated with the lowest risk for coronary heart disease (163,..T-?s PAI scores for men in this study were zzariy-double those of the women (i543verSus 711 kcalweek-I). It is likely that..diffeiences in the PAI score for the men and i&men in this study reflected the lower frequency and duration of sports and recreational activities performed by women. The PA1 scores for the African-Americans in this study were also consistently lower than PA1 scores reported in other samples of African-American and White adults (see Table 3). This supports the observation of low physical activity and aerobic fitness levels in this population. The prevalence of ‘very poor’ aerobic fitness levels was high for both men (71%) and women (82%). Nearly three-quarters of men and four-fifths of women in this study could not complete more than 5-6 laps around the track in 12 minutes. The low level of aerobic fitness is probably related to the low prevalence of strenuo us physical activity performed regularly in this sample. About 34% of men and 48% of women reported engaging in fewer than two 15min episodes of strenuous exercise per week. Also, among those who reported no regular strenuous exercise or labor per week on the LRC physical activity questionnaire, 24% of the women and 6% of the men rated themselves as much less active during their
610
JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH Vol. 13, No. 7
AINSWORTHET AL.
leisure time than their peers (LRC physical activity group 1, vwy low active). These findings are consistent with reports from the 1988 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey that showed among non-white women and men (mostly AfricanAmericans), 40% of women and 32% of men were sedentary in their leisure time. Only 4.5% of nonwhite women and 6.4% of non-white men reported regular participation in activities intensive enough to increase aerobic fitness (22). in a similar study of 3,123 North Carolina youth (8), 71.7% of AfricanAmerican girls and 42% of African-American boys enrolled in the 12th grade reported engaging in 2 weeks or less days of vigorous exercise during the past 2 weeks. Among this latter group, only 15% of the girls and 33.2% of the boys reported exercising vigorously six or more times in the past 2 weeks. Thus, the low absolute levels of aerobic fitness and physical activity in African-American youth places these young adults at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (23), obesity, and obesity-related conditions (3). The mean BMI values for the African-American men and women in this study were 26.7 and 25.5 ~n~-~~~g-~~~~~~~~~~lal to the 85th per“g -centile, classified as overweight, for P&year-old males (226.0 kg/m*) and females (~25.5 kg/m*) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey II data (24). The high levels of body fatness are probably related to the low levels of LTPA observed in this study. In men, the mean BMI level may also be related to higher body weight associated with
weight lifting and muscle development instead of overweight and obesity. A limitation of this study is that aerobic fitness was estimated from a field test of cardiorespiratory fitness and not measured directly using. laboratory tests of maximal oxygen consumption (VOZmax). The Cooper Test has been validated against treadmill tests of VO, max (v = 0.90) in a variety of populations (20,25) and is considered to be an excellent indirect test of cardiorespiratory fitness. The results of the Cooper Test fitness classifications were consistent with the mean values for the resting pulse rate measured in each LRC physical activity group. As expected, the resting pulse rate decreased with increasing levels of aerobic fitness and self-reported physicai activity. The prevalence of low leisure-time physical activity as a risk factor for CHD is of interest to health educators and health practitioners. This study showed low !evels of leisure-time physical activity and aerobic fitness and moderately high body fatness in this sample of African-American young adults. Community-level and school-based intervention efforts are recommended to improve the leisure-time physical activity and aerobic fitness levels and reduce fatness in this popuiatioiu.
We would like to thank Nicole Jones, Michelle Hewitt, and Tamara Billops for their help with the study. This study was supported by a grant awarded to Dr. Berry, NIH MBRS206RROO8040-19
Table 3. Mean f Standard Deviation Physical Activity Index Scores in Studies of Adult Men and Women Study (ref. no.)
N
Race
Age (years)
This study Wing et al. (3) Washburn et al. (26) Wing et al. (3) Jacobs et al. (18) Cauley et al. (27) Owens et al. (28) LaPorte et al. (29)
127 48 56 490 50 76 530 76
AA” AA AA white white white white white
18.2 + 1.0 42-50’ 19.6 f 3.2 42-50” 37.2 f 10.0 57.3 2 4.1 47.0 f 1.6 61.1 2 6.6
706 889 1,561 1,466 1,594 1,024 1,410 1,042
f + 2 + t -c f +
Men This study Washburn et al. (26) Washburn et al. (26) Jacobs et al. (18) Cook et al. (30)
62 74 158 28 35
AA AA white white white
18.5 18.9 19.9 37.4 47.0
1,521 3,488 3,623 1,949 5,422
f 1,634 zt 2,623 f 2,627 -c 1,608 & 3,398
Physical Activity Index (kcahweek-‘)”
Women
*Kcal.week-’ SCORS based on a 60 kg i jerson bAA = African-American
‘Meanage not given
f 1.0 f 1.3 f 2.8 + 9.7 * 11.4
868 788 1,741 1,681 1,186 788 to 1,202 f 1,055 1,264 909
November
1992
LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND AEROBIC FITNESS
References 1. Meyers BC. Implications for physical activity as a risk factor for CHD among black and white women. Med Sci :;ports Exert 1987; 19:S90. 2. Folsom AR, Cook TC, Sprafka MJ, et al. Differences in leisuretime physical activity levels between blacks and whites in population-based samples: The Minnesota Heart Survey. J Behav Med 1991;14:1-9. 3. Wing RR, Kuller LH, Bunker C, et al. Obesity, obesity-related behaviors and coronary heart disease risk factors in black and white premenopausal women. Int J Obesity 1989;13:511-9. 4. Washburn RA, Kline G, Lackland DT, et al. Leisure time physical activity: Are there black-white differences? Med Sci Sports Exert 1989;21:S94. 5. Sprafka MJ, Folsom AR, Burke GL, et al. Prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in blacks and whites: the Minnesota heart survey. Am J Public Health 1988;78:1546-9. 6. Liu K, Ballew C, Jacobs DR Jr, et al. Ethnic differences in blood pressure, pulse rate, and related characteristics in young adults: The Cardia study. Hypertension 1989;14:21826. 7. Ainsworth BE, Keenan NL, Strogatz DS, et al. Physical activity and hypertension in black adults: The Pitt County study. Am J Public Health 1991;81:1477-9. 8. North Carolina Governor’s Council of Physical Fitness and Health, North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Study: Diet and Physical Activity 1990. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, & Natural Resources, 1990. 9. Powell KE, Thompson PD, Caspersen CJ, et al. Physical activity and the incidence of coronary heart disease. Ann lyev Public Health 1987;8:253-88.
611
15. Godin GS, Shephard RJ. A simple method to assess exercise behavior. Can J Appl Sport Sci 1985;10:141-6. 16. Paffenbarger RS Jr., Wing AL, Hyde RT. Physical activity as an index ?f heart attack risk in college alumni. Am J Epidemiol 1978;108:161-75. 17. Ainsworth BE, Jacobs DR Jr, Leon AS. Validity and reliability of self-reported physical activity status: The Lipid Research Clinics Questionnaire. Med Sci Sports Exer 1992 (in press). 18. Jacobs DR Jr, Ainsworth BE, Hartman TJ, et al. A simultaneous evaluation of ten commonly used physical activity questionnaires. Med Sci Sports Exer 1992 (in press). 19. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Leon AS, et al. Compendium of physical activities: Classification of energy costs of human physical activities. Med Sci Sports Exert 1992 (in press). 20. Cooper KH. A means of assessing JAMA 1968;203:201-4.
maximal oxygen intake.
21. Sas Institute, SASlSTAT User’s Guide, Release 6.03 ed. Cary, NC:SAS Institute, Inc. 1988. 22. Merritt RK, Caspersen il, in white versus non-white Sport lY90;22:S46.
Meager KK, et al. Physical activity men and women. Med Sci Exert
23. Blair SN, Kohl HW, Paffenbarger RS Jr, et al. Physical fitness and all-cause mortality. JAMA 1989;262:2395-401. 24. National Center for Health Statistics, Anthropometric Reference Data and Prevalence of Overweieht, 1976-1980. Rockville, Md: National Center for HeaEh .Statistics; DHHS publication no. (PHS) 75-1688. (Vital and Health Statistics; Series 11, no. 238). 25. Burke EJ. Validity of selected laboratory and field tests of physical working capacity. Res Q 1976;47:95-104.
10. Walter HJ, Hofman A. Socioeconomic status, ethnic origin and risk factors for coronary heart disease in children. Am Heart J 1987;113:812-8.
26. Washburn RA, Adams LL, Haile GT. Physical activity assessment for epidemiologic research: the utility of two simplified approaches. Prev Med 1987;16:636-46.
11. Zuckerman AE, Olevsky-Peleg E,. Bush PJ, et al. Cardiovascular risk factors among black schoolchildren: Comparisons among four Know Your Body studies. Prev Med 1989;t&11332.
27. Cauley JA, LaPorte RE, Black-Sandler R, et al. Comparison of methods to measure physical activity in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 1987:45:14-22.
12. Wheeler RC, Marcus AC, Cullen JW, et al. Baseline chronic disease risk factors in a racially heterogeneous elementary school population: The “Know Your Body” program, Los Angeles. Prev Med 1983;2:569-87. 13. Webber LS, Cresanta JL, Voors AW, et al. Tracking of cardiovascular disease risk factors in school-age children. J Chronic Dis 1983;36:647-60. 14. Haskell WL, Taylor HL, Wood PD, et al. Strenuous physical activity, treadmill exercise test performance and plasma highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol. Circulation 1980;62: lV53-61.
28. Owens JF, Matthews KA, Wing RR, et al. Physical activity and cardiovascular risk: A cross-sectional study of middleaged premenopausal women. Prev Med 1990;19:147-57. 29. LaPorte RE, Black-Sandier R, Cauley of physical activity in older women: lationship and reliability of activity veys, and caloric intake. J Gerontol
JA, et al. The assessment Analysis of the interremonitoring, activity sur1983;38:394-97.
30. Cook TC, LaPorte RE, Washburn RA, et al. Chronic low level physical activity as a determinant of high lipoprotein cholesterol and subfractions. Med Sci Exert Sport 1986;18:653-57.
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Aerobic Fitness in African-American Young Adults BARBARA 6. AINSWORTH, VICTORIA N. SCHNYDER,
Ph.D.,
M.P.H,
CAROLYN B. BERRY, Ph.D.,
AND SESSIB R. VICKERS
This cross-sectional study identified the leisure-time
KEY WORDS:
physical activity (LTPA)and aerobic fitness levels of 189 African-American young adult college freshmen. LTPA was measured with the Lipid Research Clinics (LRC), Godii Leisure-Time Exercise, and the College Alumnus physical activity questionnaires. The Physical Activity Index (PAR, an index of walking, stair climbing, and recreational sports participation, was obtained from the College Alumnus questionnaire. Aerobic fitness was measured indirectly with the Cooper 12-Minute Walking/ Running Test. More women 032%)than men 63%) were cla&fied as itracffue(strenuous exercise or labor 0.05). Women reported engaging in less leisure-time physical activity than men, based on the Godin frequency of weekly exercise, LRC, and PA1 LTPA scores (p < 0.05). As expected, men were taller, weighed more, and had a lower resting pulse rate than women (p < 0.001). There were no differences in age or BMI between men and women (p > 0.05).
Discussion This study shows a profile of low leisure-time physical activity, low aerobic fitness, and moderately high body fatness in young adult African-American men and women. Women were consistently less active and less aerobically fit than men on all LTPA and aerobic fitness measures. The low levels of LTPA for the subjects in this study are consistent
with reports from other surveys in African-American adults (l-6) and adolescents (8). Energy expended per week on the Physical Activity Index increased with higher LRC physical activity scores, suggesting these two instruments are measuring similar aspects of LTPA. PAI kcal-week-’ values were low for groups and less than the recommended 2,000 kcal-week-’ value associated with the lowest risk for coronary heart disease (163,..T-?s PAI scores for men in this study were zzariy-double those of the women (i543verSus 711 kcalweek-I). It is likely that..diffeiences in the PAI score for the men and i&men in this study reflected the lower frequency and duration of sports and recreational activities performed by women. The PA1 scores for the African-Americans in this study were also consistently lower than PA1 scores reported in other samples of African-American and White adults (see Table 3). This supports the observation of low physical activity and aerobic fitness levels in this population. The prevalence of ‘very poor’ aerobic fitness levels was high for both men (71%) and women (82%). Nearly three-quarters of men and four-fifths of women in this study could not complete more than 5-6 laps around the track in 12 minutes. The low level of aerobic fitness is probably related to the low prevalence of strenuo us physical activity performed regularly in this sample. About 34% of men and 48% of women reported engaging in fewer than two 15min episodes of strenuous exercise per week. Also, among those who reported no regular strenuous exercise or labor per week on the LRC physical activity questionnaire, 24% of the women and 6% of the men rated themselves as much less active during their
610
JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH Vol. 13, No. 7
AINSWORTHET AL.
leisure time than their peers (LRC physical activity group 1, vwy low active). These findings are consistent with reports from the 1988 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey that showed among non-white women and men (mostly AfricanAmericans), 40% of women and 32% of men were sedentary in their leisure time. Only 4.5% of nonwhite women and 6.4% of non-white men reported regular participation in activities intensive enough to increase aerobic fitness (22). in a similar study of 3,123 North Carolina youth (8), 71.7% of AfricanAmerican girls and 42% of African-American boys enrolled in the 12th grade reported engaging in 2 weeks or less days of vigorous exercise during the past 2 weeks. Among this latter group, only 15% of the girls and 33.2% of the boys reported exercising vigorously six or more times in the past 2 weeks. Thus, the low absolute levels of aerobic fitness and physical activity in African-American youth places these young adults at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (23), obesity, and obesity-related conditions (3). The mean BMI values for the African-American men and women in this study were 26.7 and 25.5 ~n~-~~~g-~~~~~~~~~~lal to the 85th per“g -centile, classified as overweight, for P&year-old males (226.0 kg/m*) and females (~25.5 kg/m*) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey II data (24). The high levels of body fatness are probably related to the low levels of LTPA observed in this study. In men, the mean BMI level may also be related to higher body weight associated with
weight lifting and muscle development instead of overweight and obesity. A limitation of this study is that aerobic fitness was estimated from a field test of cardiorespiratory fitness and not measured directly using. laboratory tests of maximal oxygen consumption (VOZmax). The Cooper Test has been validated against treadmill tests of VO, max (v = 0.90) in a variety of populations (20,25) and is considered to be an excellent indirect test of cardiorespiratory fitness. The results of the Cooper Test fitness classifications were consistent with the mean values for the resting pulse rate measured in each LRC physical activity group. As expected, the resting pulse rate decreased with increasing levels of aerobic fitness and self-reported physicai activity. The prevalence of low leisure-time physical activity as a risk factor for CHD is of interest to health educators and health practitioners. This study showed low !evels of leisure-time physical activity and aerobic fitness and moderately high body fatness in this sample of African-American young adults. Community-level and school-based intervention efforts are recommended to improve the leisure-time physical activity and aerobic fitness levels and reduce fatness in this popuiatioiu.
We would like to thank Nicole Jones, Michelle Hewitt, and Tamara Billops for their help with the study. This study was supported by a grant awarded to Dr. Berry, NIH MBRS206RROO8040-19
Table 3. Mean f Standard Deviation Physical Activity Index Scores in Studies of Adult Men and Women Study (ref. no.)
N
Race
Age (years)
This study Wing et al. (3) Washburn et al. (26) Wing et al. (3) Jacobs et al. (18) Cauley et al. (27) Owens et al. (28) LaPorte et al. (29)
127 48 56 490 50 76 530 76
AA” AA AA white white white white white
18.2 + 1.0 42-50’ 19.6 f 3.2 42-50” 37.2 f 10.0 57.3 2 4.1 47.0 f 1.6 61.1 2 6.6
706 889 1,561 1,466 1,594 1,024 1,410 1,042
f + 2 + t -c f +
Men This study Washburn et al. (26) Washburn et al. (26) Jacobs et al. (18) Cook et al. (30)
62 74 158 28 35
AA AA white white white
18.5 18.9 19.9 37.4 47.0
1,521 3,488 3,623 1,949 5,422
f 1,634 zt 2,623 f 2,627 -c 1,608 & 3,398
Physical Activity Index (kcahweek-‘)”
Women
*Kcal.week-’ SCORS based on a 60 kg i jerson bAA = African-American
‘Meanage not given
f 1.0 f 1.3 f 2.8 + 9.7 * 11.4
868 788 1,741 1,681 1,186 788 to 1,202 f 1,055 1,264 909
November
1992
LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND AEROBIC FITNESS
References 1. Meyers BC. Implications for physical activity as a risk factor for CHD among black and white women. Med Sci :;ports Exert 1987; 19:S90. 2. Folsom AR, Cook TC, Sprafka MJ, et al. Differences in leisuretime physical activity levels between blacks and whites in population-based samples: The Minnesota Heart Survey. J Behav Med 1991;14:1-9. 3. Wing RR, Kuller LH, Bunker C, et al. Obesity, obesity-related behaviors and coronary heart disease risk factors in black and white premenopausal women. Int J Obesity 1989;13:511-9. 4. Washburn RA, Kline G, Lackland DT, et al. Leisure time physical activity: Are there black-white differences? Med Sci Sports Exert 1989;21:S94. 5. Sprafka MJ, Folsom AR, Burke GL, et al. Prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in blacks and whites: the Minnesota heart survey. Am J Public Health 1988;78:1546-9. 6. Liu K, Ballew C, Jacobs DR Jr, et al. Ethnic differences in blood pressure, pulse rate, and related characteristics in young adults: The Cardia study. Hypertension 1989;14:21826. 7. Ainsworth BE, Keenan NL, Strogatz DS, et al. Physical activity and hypertension in black adults: The Pitt County study. Am J Public Health 1991;81:1477-9. 8. North Carolina Governor’s Council of Physical Fitness and Health, North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Study: Diet and Physical Activity 1990. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, & Natural Resources, 1990. 9. Powell KE, Thompson PD, Caspersen CJ, et al. Physical activity and the incidence of coronary heart disease. Ann lyev Public Health 1987;8:253-88.
611
15. Godin GS, Shephard RJ. A simple method to assess exercise behavior. Can J Appl Sport Sci 1985;10:141-6. 16. Paffenbarger RS Jr., Wing AL, Hyde RT. Physical activity as an index ?f heart attack risk in college alumni. Am J Epidemiol 1978;108:161-75. 17. Ainsworth BE, Jacobs DR Jr, Leon AS. Validity and reliability of self-reported physical activity status: The Lipid Research Clinics Questionnaire. Med Sci Sports Exer 1992 (in press). 18. Jacobs DR Jr, Ainsworth BE, Hartman TJ, et al. A simultaneous evaluation of ten commonly used physical activity questionnaires. Med Sci Sports Exer 1992 (in press). 19. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Leon AS, et al. Compendium of physical activities: Classification of energy costs of human physical activities. Med Sci Sports Exert 1992 (in press). 20. Cooper KH. A means of assessing JAMA 1968;203:201-4.
maximal oxygen intake.
21. Sas Institute, SASlSTAT User’s Guide, Release 6.03 ed. Cary, NC:SAS Institute, Inc. 1988. 22. Merritt RK, Caspersen il, in white versus non-white Sport lY90;22:S46.
Meager KK, et al. Physical activity men and women. Med Sci Exert
23. Blair SN, Kohl HW, Paffenbarger RS Jr, et al. Physical fitness and all-cause mortality. JAMA 1989;262:2395-401. 24. National Center for Health Statistics, Anthropometric Reference Data and Prevalence of Overweieht, 1976-1980. Rockville, Md: National Center for HeaEh .Statistics; DHHS publication no. (PHS) 75-1688. (Vital and Health Statistics; Series 11, no. 238). 25. Burke EJ. Validity of selected laboratory and field tests of physical working capacity. Res Q 1976;47:95-104.
10. Walter HJ, Hofman A. Socioeconomic status, ethnic origin and risk factors for coronary heart disease in children. Am Heart J 1987;113:812-8.
26. Washburn RA, Adams LL, Haile GT. Physical activity assessment for epidemiologic research: the utility of two simplified approaches. Prev Med 1987;16:636-46.
11. Zuckerman AE, Olevsky-Peleg E,. Bush PJ, et al. Cardiovascular risk factors among black schoolchildren: Comparisons among four Know Your Body studies. Prev Med 1989;t&11332.
27. Cauley JA, LaPorte RE, Black-Sandler R, et al. Comparison of methods to measure physical activity in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 1987:45:14-22.
12. Wheeler RC, Marcus AC, Cullen JW, et al. Baseline chronic disease risk factors in a racially heterogeneous elementary school population: The “Know Your Body” program, Los Angeles. Prev Med 1983;2:569-87. 13. Webber LS, Cresanta JL, Voors AW, et al. Tracking of cardiovascular disease risk factors in school-age children. J Chronic Dis 1983;36:647-60. 14. Haskell WL, Taylor HL, Wood PD, et al. Strenuous physical activity, treadmill exercise test performance and plasma highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol. Circulation 1980;62: lV53-61.
28. Owens JF, Matthews KA, Wing RR, et al. Physical activity and cardiovascular risk: A cross-sectional study of middleaged premenopausal women. Prev Med 1990;19:147-57. 29. LaPorte RE, Black-Sandier R, Cauley of physical activity in older women: lationship and reliability of activity veys, and caloric intake. J Gerontol
JA, et al. The assessment Analysis of the interremonitoring, activity sur1983;38:394-97.
30. Cook TC, LaPorte RE, Washburn RA, et al. Chronic low level physical activity as a determinant of high lipoprotein cholesterol and subfractions. Med Sci Exert Sport 1986;18:653-57.
