Physical Activity, Promoting in African Americans

Despite the health benefits to be gained from physical activity, rates of sedentary behavior are high in the United States, especially among certain subgroups of the population, such as African Americans. In fact, 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data indicated that 36.3% of African American women and 45.9% of African American men reported exercising regularly, which was significantly lower than activity levels in other groups such as white women (49.8%) and men (52.5%). This disparity in exercise participation places African Americans at increased risk for chronic illnesses (i.e., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cancer) and thus represents a public health concern.

Consequently, there have been a number of intervention studies focused on promoting activity among African Americans. Because studies have increased dramatically since 2000, the ...