Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region
Hispanics are disproportionately affected by low rates of physical activity and high rates of chronic diseases. Hispanics generally and Mexican Americans specifically are underrepresented in research on physical activity and its impact on mental well-being. Some community-based interventions have be...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/22/2946 |
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| author | Alma G. Ochoa Del-Toro Lisa A. Mitchell-Bennett Michael Machiorlatti Candace A. Robledo Amanda C. Davé Rebecca N. Lozoya Belinda M. Reininger |
| author_facet | Alma G. Ochoa Del-Toro Lisa A. Mitchell-Bennett Michael Machiorlatti Candace A. Robledo Amanda C. Davé Rebecca N. Lozoya Belinda M. Reininger |
| author_sort | Alma G. Ochoa Del-Toro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hispanics are disproportionately affected by low rates of physical activity and high rates of chronic diseases. Hispanics generally and Mexican Americans specifically are underrepresented in research on physical activity and its impact on mental well-being. Some community-based interventions have been effective in increasing physical activity among Hispanics. This study examined data from a sample of low-income Hispanic participants in free community exercise classes to characterize the association between self-reported frequency of exercise class attendance, intensity of physical activity, and participant well-being. As part of two cross-sectional samples recruited from a stratified random sample of community exercise classes, 302 participants completed a questionnaire consisting of a modified version of the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF). Adjusted logistic regression analyses indicated that those who achieve mild, moderate, and strenuous self-reported physical activity have 130% higher odds (<i>p</i> = 0.0422) of positive mental well-being after adjustment for age, frequency of attendance, and self-reported health. This study provides evidence that the intensity of physical activity is associated with flourishing mental well-being among Hispanic adults. The association between physical activity and mental well-being is more pronounced when considering participants engaged in mild levels of physical activity. The study further provides insight into the planning and development of community-based physical activity programming tailored to low-income populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:47:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22dd7d252048444ba0f02f8389e76740 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:47:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-22dd7d252048444ba0f02f8389e767402023-11-24T14:44:45ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-11-011122294610.3390/healthcare11222946Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border RegionAlma G. Ochoa Del-Toro0Lisa A. Mitchell-Bennett1Michael Machiorlatti2Candace A. Robledo3Amanda C. Davé4Rebecca N. Lozoya5Belinda M. Reininger6Division of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Brownsville Regional Campus, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Brownsville, TX 78250, USADivision of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Brownsville Regional Campus, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Brownsville, TX 78250, USADepartment of Population Health and Biostatistics, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen, TX 78550, USADepartment of Population Health and Biostatistics, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Harlingen, TX 78550, USADivision of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Brownsville Regional Campus, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Brownsville, TX 78250, USADivision of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Brownsville Regional Campus, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Brownsville, TX 78250, USADivision of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Brownsville Regional Campus, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Brownsville, TX 78250, USAHispanics are disproportionately affected by low rates of physical activity and high rates of chronic diseases. Hispanics generally and Mexican Americans specifically are underrepresented in research on physical activity and its impact on mental well-being. Some community-based interventions have been effective in increasing physical activity among Hispanics. This study examined data from a sample of low-income Hispanic participants in free community exercise classes to characterize the association between self-reported frequency of exercise class attendance, intensity of physical activity, and participant well-being. As part of two cross-sectional samples recruited from a stratified random sample of community exercise classes, 302 participants completed a questionnaire consisting of a modified version of the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF). Adjusted logistic regression analyses indicated that those who achieve mild, moderate, and strenuous self-reported physical activity have 130% higher odds (<i>p</i> = 0.0422) of positive mental well-being after adjustment for age, frequency of attendance, and self-reported health. This study provides evidence that the intensity of physical activity is associated with flourishing mental well-being among Hispanic adults. The association between physical activity and mental well-being is more pronounced when considering participants engaged in mild levels of physical activity. The study further provides insight into the planning and development of community-based physical activity programming tailored to low-income populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/22/2946US–Mexico borderphysical exercisemental healthpublic healthhealth behavior promotion |
| spellingShingle | Alma G. Ochoa Del-Toro Lisa A. Mitchell-Bennett Michael Machiorlatti Candace A. Robledo Amanda C. Davé Rebecca N. Lozoya Belinda M. Reininger Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region Healthcare US–Mexico border physical exercise mental health public health health behavior promotion |
| title | Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region |
| title_full | Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region |
| title_fullStr | Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region |
| title_short | Community Exercise Program Participation and Mental Well-Being in the U.S. Texas–Mexico Border Region |
| title_sort | community exercise program participation and mental well being in the u s texas mexico border region |
| topic | US–Mexico border physical exercise mental health public health health behavior promotion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/22/2946 |
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