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Researchers Study Hispanic Children's Activities, Views on Places to Play |
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From EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Studies have shown that youthful playtime---running in the park or playing ball in the schoolyard---fades by the time children enter middle school years, sometimes with dangerous effects to their health. An 18-month study will focus on 200 Hispanic fifth graders, monitor their daily physical activity and record their views on places to be active, such as parks or schoolyards. And because moms have so much influence in the home, the study will also examine how moms view those locations and how their views influence the child's likelihood of being active. The UH researchers will collaborate with Texas A&M University. "We believe that by understanding the relationship between perception of our environment and intention to be physically active, we can design more informed interventions for children who most need them," said Olvera. For example, all children will be equipped with an accelerometer to monitor the number of times they move, an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) device---which resembles a remote-control unit that randomly asks questions about physical activity, and a Global Positioning System to capture the students' locations and the speeds at which they are being active. Olvera's research is specific to the Hispanic community and has often included the role mothers play in the nutritional and physical activity choices for their children. Based on her research, Olvera developed the after-school healthy lifestyle program BOUNCE, Behavior Opportunities Uniting Nutrition and Counseling Education, which focuses on exercise and nutrition for middle-school girls and their mothers. For the last three years, she has offered a healthy summer program for Hispanic and African American girls, which was recognized by the Texas Public Health Association as a 2006 Nutrition and Physical Activity Best Practices program.
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