An explicative model of leisure-time physical activities among church-going African Americans in Indianapolis

This study consisted of three sub-studies. The problem of this study was to (1) examine the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and obesity among African Americans (sub-study ;This study was a cross-sectional non-experimental study using a 96-item questionnaire. A total of 649 African Americans going to churches were recruited from 27 churches in Indianapolis. The instrument was developed and finalized through a process of reviewing literature, expert's review and pilot test. In examining the relationship between LTPA and obesity (sub-study ;Main findings of this study were: (1) the data showed an inverse graded relationship between the total volume of LTPA and obesity for African American women, but not for men; (2) all six refined scales were cross-validated by splitting the sample into two halves; and (3) the developed social-ecological model of LTPA fit the data well based on major fit indices.;Main conclusions of this study were: (1) African American women who accumulate a high volume of LTPA (i.e., 300 minutes or more per week) are less likely to be obese; (2) the six refined scales (including corresponding subscales) to measure contributory factors to LTPA among African Americans were shown reliable and valid; and (3) a multilevel approach involving intrapersonal, interpersonal, environmental, and policy factors is recommended in physical activity behavior intervention.