Intrapersonal and Environmental Barriers to Physical Activity Among Blacks and Latinos.

OBJECTIVE: To understand perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity (PA) among at-risk African American and Hispanic adolescents and adults in a low-income community. DESIGN: Qualitative research was conducted in 2014-2015 using focus groups and a sociodemographic survey. SETTING: Three high schools in South Los Angeles, California. PARTICIPANTS: Eight high school-aged adolescent focus groups (n = 64) and 8 adult focus groups (n = 47). PHENOMENON OF INTEREST: Perceived barriers and facilitators to PA among predominantly obese and overweight African American and Hispanic adolescents and adults. ANALYSIS: Groups were audio recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using an inductive approach. RESULTS: Participants reported that PA resources were available on school campuses (eg, sports teams) and in the community (eg, sidewalks, local parks, fitness classes). Key barriers to PA were intrapersonal (lack of motivation and time constraints) and environmental (safety concerns), whereas facilitators included interpersonal factors (social support). Participants provided valuable insights, including recommendations to increase noncompetitive programs at schools, develop shared-use agreements, and address safety concerns at local parks and public recreational spaces. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings suggest that future efforts to promote PA among at-risk minority groups should address intrapersonal and social environmental factors. Community-based programmatic and policy recommendations are provided.

Transforming the urban food desert from the grassroots up: a model for community change.

Confronted by continuing health disparities in vulnerable communities, Community Health Councils (CHC), a nonprofit community-based organization in South Los Angeles, worked with the African Americans Building a Legacy of Health Coalition and research partners to develop a community change model to address the root causes of health disparities within the community's African American population. This article discusses how the CHC Model's development and application led to public policy interventions in a "food desert." The CHC Model provided a systematic approach to engaging impacted communities in support of societal level reforms, with the goal to influence health outcomes.

Work group IV: Future directions for measures of the food and physical activity environments.

Much progress has been made in the past 5 to 10 years in measuring and understanding the impact of the food and physical activity environments on behavioral outcomes. Nevertheless, this research is in its infancy. A work group was convened to identify current evidence gaps and barriers in food and physical activity environments and policy research measures, and develop recommendations to guide future directions for measurement and methodologic research efforts. A nominal group process was used to determine six priority areas for food and physical activity environments and policy measures to move the field forward by 2015, including: (1) identify relevant factors in the food and physical activity environments to measure, including those most amenable to change; (2) improve understanding of mechanisms for relationships between the environment and physical activity, diet, and obesity; (3) develop simplified measures that are sensitive to change, valid for different population groups and settings, and responsive to changing trends; (4) evaluate natural experiments to improve understanding of food and physical activity environments and their impact on behaviors and weight; (5) establish surveillance systems to predict and track change over time; and (6) develop standards for adopting effective health-promoting changes to the food and physical activity environments. The recommendations emanating from the work group highlight actions required to advance policy-relevant research related to food and physical activity environments.

Putting promotion into practice: the African Americans building a legacy of health organizational wellness program.

A Los Angeles REACH demonstration project led by Community Health Councils, Inc. adapted and implemented an organizational wellness intervention originally developed by the local health department, providing training in incorporating physical activity and healthy food choices into the routine "conduct of business" in 35 predominantly public and private, nonprofit-sector agencies. A total of 700 staff, members, or clients completed the 12-week or subsequently retooled 6-week curriculum. Attendance and retention rates between baseline and postintervention assessments were improved substantially in the shortened offering. Feelings of sadness or depression decreased significantly (p = .00), fruit and vegetable intake increased significantly (+0.5 servings/day, p = .00), and body mass index decreased marginally (-0.5 kg/m(2), p = .08) among 12-week participants. The numbers of days in which individuals participated in vigorous physical activity increased significantly among 6-week participants (+0.3, p = .00). This model holds promise for extending the reach of environmentally focused work-site wellness programming to organizations and at-risk populations not traditionally engaged by such efforts.

African Americans' access to healthy food options in South Los Angeles restaurants.

OBJECTIVES: We examined availability and food options at restaurants in less affluent (target area) and more affluent (comparison area) areas of Los Angeles County to compare residents' access to healthy meals prepared and purchased away from home. We also considered environmental prompts that encourage the purchase of various foods. METHODS: We designed an instrument to assess the availability, quality, and preparation of food in restaurants. We also assessed advertisements and promotions, cleanliness, and service for each restaurant. We assessed 659 restaurants: 348 in the target area and 311 in the comparison area. RESULTS: The nutritional resource environment in our target area makes it challenging for residents to eat healthy away from home. Poorer neighborhoods with a higher proportion of African American residents have fewer healthy options available, both in food selections and in food preparation; restaurants in these neighborhoods heavily promote unhealthy food options to residents. CONCLUSIONS: Environment is important in understanding health status: support for the healthy lifestyle associated with lower risks for disease is difficult in poorer communities with a higher proportion of African American residents.