Psychosocial Factors Associated With Physical Activity Among Low-Income Overweight or Obese Mothers with Young Children

• Published in: American journal of health promotion Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 846 - 849
• Main Authors: Chang, Mei-Wei, Gunther, Carolyn, Militello, Lisa K., Wegener, Duane T., Lin, Chyongchiou J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.07.2023; American Journal of Health Promotion
• Subjects: Body mass index; Child, Preschool; Childhood obesity; Emotional coping; Employment; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Health promotion; Humans; Infant; Infants; Leisure; Life Style; Low income groups; Mothers; Mothers - psychology; Obesity; Obesity - psychology; Overweight; Overweight - epidemiology; Overweight - psychology; Overweight - therapy; Physical activity; Postpartum women; Psychological aspects; Psychosocial factors; Race; Response rates; Self-efficacy; Smoking; Social motivation; Social support; Young mothers; social support; low-income women; autonomous motivation; self-efficacy; physical activity; emotionl copying
• ISSN: 0890-1171; 2168-6602
• DOI: 10.1177/08901171231168172

Purpose Investigate the associations between psychosocial factors and physical activity. Design Secondary data analysis utilizing baseline data of a large-scale community-based randomized controlled lifestyle behavior intervention. Setting The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Michigan, USA. Subjects Low-income overweight or obese mothers with young children (N = 740, 65% response rate). Measures Survey data were collected via phone interview. Predictors included self-efficacy, autonomous motivation, emotional coping, and social support. Self-reported leisure physical activity was the outcome variable. Covariates were age, race, smoking, employment, education, body mass index, and postpartum status. Analysis A multiple linear regression model was applied. Results Self-efficacy (β = .32, 95% CI = .11, .52, P = .003) and autonomous motivation (β = .10, 95% CI = .03, .17, P = .005) were positively associated with physical activity. However, emotional coping and social support were not associated with physical activity. Conclusion Future research should examine the longitudinal association of key psychosocial factors with physical activity.