Department of Family Medicine & Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2018 Jun 18;13(6):e0199139. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199139. eCollection 2018.
Despite data linking the social environment to physical inactivity in Latinas, research on social network predictors of physical activity (PA) is limited. This study examined social network predictors of PA change in Latinas.
Egocentric network data were collected from 102 adult Latinas (egos) participating in a randomized controlled PA intervention trial for underactive women. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was measured in minutes per week using the 7-Day PA Recall Interview and accelerometers at baseline and 12 months. Analyses characterized social network structure, composition, tie strength, homogeneity, and support for PA and determined the relationship between network characteristics and PA outcomes.
Networks had an average of four social ties (alters). Networks were high in density and transitivity and low in components, indicating high cohesion. Networks were primarily composed of females, Latinos, Spanish-speakers, and family members. Relationship ties were strong as evidenced by close living proximity, in-person contact, high emotional closeness, and long relationship duration. There was high homogeneity in demographics and PA behaviors. Multivariate analyses revealed that network size, familial ties, contact frequency, and ego-alter dissimilarities in age and running but similarities in walking, were associated with increased MVPA. Networks high in support for PA in the form of complimenting ego on exercise, taking over chores to allow ego to exercise, and co-participating with ego in exercise were also associated with greater MVPA.
These findings contribute to better understanding interpersonal processes that may influence behavior change in a group with especially low levels of PA.
尽管有数据表明社会环境与拉丁裔人群的身体活动不足有关，但关于社会网络对身体活动（PA）预测因素的研究还很有限。本研究旨在探讨社会网络对拉丁裔人群 PA 变化的预测因素。
从参加针对不活跃女性的随机对照 PA 干预试验的 102 名成年拉丁裔（主体）中收集了个体中心网络数据。使用 7 天 PA 回忆访谈和加速度计在基线和 12 个月时测量每周中等至剧烈 PA（MVPA）的分钟数。分析了社会网络结构、组成、联系强度、同质性和对 PA 的支持，并确定了网络特征与 PA 结果之间的关系。
网络平均有四个社会联系（他人）。网络密度和传递性较高，而组件较少，表明凝聚力较高。网络主要由女性、拉丁裔、西班牙语使用者和家庭成员组成。关系联系很强，表现为密切的生活距离、面对面接触、高度的情感亲近和较长的关系持续时间。人口统计学和 PA 行为高度同质性。多变量分析显示，网络规模、家庭关系、接触频率以及年龄和跑步方面的主体-他人差异，而在步行方面的相似性，与 MVPA 的增加有关。网络对 PA 的支持程度较高，例如对主体在锻炼方面的称赞、为主体锻炼而接管家务、以及与主体共同参与锻炼，也与 MVPA 的增加有关。
这些发现有助于更好地理解人际过程，这些过程可能会影响 PA 水平特别低的人群的行为变化。
