![]() Several theories have been proposed to explain physical activity among adolescents and young adults. ![]() The specific aims of the study reported here were to: (a) develop and test a self-efficacy enhancing exercise program to achieve physical fitness among both Black and Hispanic sedentary female college students (b) optimize the benefits and minimize the perceived barriers to initiation of a program of exercise among both Black and Hispanic sedentary female college students and (c) optimize the benefits and minimize the perceived barriers to maintenance of exercise as a health promotion behavior among both Black and Hispanic sedentary female college students. ![]() In particular, very few researchers have focused on African-Americans, other Blacks, or Hispanic women ( Nieves-Squires, 1993), and almost nothing is reported about the long-term outcomes of such a program. After graduation, they could form an educated cadre of leaders who could influence others to adopt health-promoting lifestyles.įew investigators have tested exercise programs to decrease sedentarism among college students ( Sallis, Calfas, Alcaraz, Gehrman, & Johnson, 1999). They are accessible as a group, and a successful program may have a lasting impact on their own and others’ health behavior. One important sub-population of young adult minority women to target is both Black and Hispanic undergraduate college students. ![]() Chronic inactivity in young and middle adulthood substantially increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and stroke ( Howard et al., 1994 Whelton et al., 1996). Based upon age trends, many young minority women are at high risk for living out their lives as sedentary adults. Suminski and Petosa (2002) studied 3,000 ethnically diverse college students and found that both Black and Hispanic female women were significantly more likely to report a sedentary lifestyle than were their White counterparts. This is particularly true for African-American and Hispanic women ( Ainsworth, Berry, Schnyder, & Vickers, 1992 Ford & Goode, 1994 Kelley & Kelley, 1994). During the college years, females tend to become even less active. The findings of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey ( Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001) indicated that teenage girls were less active than boys throughout the 4 years of high school, and both Black and Hispanic teenage girls were significantly less active than White teenage girls. ![]() Although physical activity has been shown to decline with age ( Centers for Disease Control, 1998 National Center for Health Statistics, 1994, 1997), evidence suggests that these declines begin early in life. Rather than embrace these benefits, a significant percentage of Americans maintain a largely sedentary lifestyle. Department of Health and Human Services report, Physical Activity and Health (1996), contains a summary of these benefits, including: (a) improvement in cardiovascular and respiratory function (b) reduction in coronary artery disease risk factors (c) decreased morbidity and mortality and (d) the postulated benefits of decreased anxiety and depression, enhanced feelings of well-being, and enhanced performance of work, recreational, and sport activities. Considerable evidence exists that exercise has numerous physiological, metabolic, and psychological benefits. ![]()
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