Ethnic Disparities In Physical Activity Environment And Depression During Adolescence: A Social-ecological Perspective

PURPOSE: Guided by the social ecological model, this study aimed to examine the relationships between neighborhood PA environment (i.e., safety/crime, walkability, and room electronic devices), leisure-time physical activity (LTPA; LPA, MPA, and VPA), sedentary behavior (i.e., screen-based and non-screen-based SB), and depression among adolescents. The ethnic disparities (Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic) were also investigated among study variables. METHODS: Participants were 283 adolescents (66.4% female, 7-19 years old, Mage=15, 27.5% Hispanic, 18% Black, and 3.5% other minorities; 54.2% low SES; 32.4% overweight/obese). Parents reported children’s sociodemographic (i.e., income, ethnicity, age, and gender), neighborhood PA environments, LTPA, and screen-based and non-screen-based SB. Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed from parental reports’ height and weight. The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire was used to assess adolescents’ depression. RESULTS: 32.4% of participants were categorized as overweight/obese and 65.5% of them were minorities. The room electronic environment and neighborhood safety/crime were significantly associated with total LTPA and MVPA (rs range from -.13 to -.23; p<.05). The neighborhood walkability and safety/crime were significantly correlated to screen-based SB (r=-.23, r=-.16, p<.05) and depression (r=.31, r=.39, p<.01). All intensity levels of PA were significantly related to depression (rs range from -.17 to .23; p<.05), but not SB. The regression analyses showed that neighborhood safety/crime and LTPA emerged as significant predictors of depression (β=.27, β=-.19; p<.05, R2= 22%). Hispanic adolescents spent more screen- and non-screen-based SB (Wilk’ Lambda =.929, F (3, 186) =4.76, p<.01) compared to non-Hispanic peers. Regarding neighborhood PA environment, non-Hispanic parents perceived higher barriers towards PA (walkability) than their Hispanic peers (F (1,186) =9.48, p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the combined effects of neighborhood PA environment and PA on adolescents’ depression. The results suggest that providing a supportive PA environment (e.g., walking pathways) can not only eliminate SB, but also benefit adolescents’ mental health, which underscores the need for social ecological approaches to promote PA and health.