Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Obesity in Latina/o Youth

Key Takeaways 

  • Sedentary behaviour matters: Every extra hour of television raised the odds of being overweight or obese by about 10 %.​​ 

  • Physical activity is protective—but not equally for everyone: More days of 60minute physical activity lowered obesity odds overall, yet this relationship disappeared for Latina/o students.​​ 

  • Latina/o youth are at greater risk: After adjusting for other factors, identifying as Latina/o increased the odds of overweight/obesity by 20 %.​​ 

  • Gender gap: Males were significantly more likely than females to be overweight or obese, even after controlling for activity and screen time.​​ 

  • Game time not a clear villain: Once other variables were considered, video/computergame hours no longer predicted weight status.​​ 

What Did the Study Do? 

Using the 2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) dataset (n = 15,503 highschool students), the authors examined how three behaviours—days of moderatetovigorous physical activity (PA), television viewing, and videogame/computer use—along with gender and Latina/o ethnicity, relate to Body Mass Index (BMI) categories. Logistic regression tested both main effects and whether the PA–weight link differed by ethnicity.​​ 

Results Highlight 

  • Prevalence: Roughly 30 % of respondents were classified as overweight or obese; slightly fewer than onethird identified as Latina/o.​​ 

  • Main effects: 

  • Physical activity: Each additional active day reduced the odds of excess weight (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.95, p < .001). 

  • TV viewing: Each additional hour increased the odds (AOR = 1.11, p < .001). 

  • Grade level: Students in lower grades were marginally more likely to be overweight/obese. 

  • Gender: Being female lowered risk (AOR = 0.69, p < .001). 

  • Ethnicity: Latina/o status raised risk (AOR = 1.20, p < .001).​​ 

  • Interaction effect: Among non-Latinos, students with above-median PA had 4 percentage points lower overweight/obesity prevalence than their less-active peers (26.4 % vs 30.5 %). For Latinos, PA made no meaningful difference (32.7 % vs 32.3 %).​​ 

Discussion — Why It Matters 

The findings reaffirm that screen time, especially passive TV watching, is a potent behavioural risk factor, likely combining reduced movement with cues to overconsume caloriedense foods.​​ The unequal benefit of physical activity raises urgent equity questions: cultural food norms, limited access to safe recreation, and structural barriers such as underresourced schools may blunt the protective power of exercise in Latina/o communities. The authors call for community-tailored interventions—for example, multilevel programmes like the Stanford GOALS study that pair PA promotion with family and neighbourhood supports—to disrupt entrenched obesity trends.​​ 

Limitations to Keep in Mind 

  • Self-reported height/weight and behaviours may misclassify some students. 

  • BMI cannot distinguish muscle from fat, though it remains practical for large surveys. 

  • Cross-sectional design prevents firm cause-and-effect conclusions; more longitudinal and experimental studies are needed.​​ 

Implications for Practice 

  1. Cut the TV time: School and community programmes should target television viewing specifically, not just generic “screen time.” 

  1. Rethink one-size-fits-all PA strategies: Standard activity boosts may help non-Latino youth more than Latina/o youth; culturally responsive approaches that also address diet, family habits, and neighbourhood safety are vital. 

  1. Track weekdays and weekends: Future surveys should capture full-week screen behaviour to refine recommendations.​​ 

Bottom line: Combating youth obesity demands a dual focus—reducing passive screen habits and increasing quality physical activity—while simultaneously recognising and addressing the unique social and cultural contexts that shape health outcomes for Latina/o adolescents. 

 Full Article:
Marttinen, R., Vernikoff, L., Phillips, S., & Fletcher, N. (2017). Physical activity, screen time, and obesity: A statistical inquiry into Latino/a youth. Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 15(1), 27-35. https://doi.org/10.32398/cjhp.v15i1.1886   

This blog post was written with the assistance of AI to support clarity and accessibility. It is intended to help disseminate and discuss research findings with a broader audience. However, for the most accurate and reliable information—including conclusions and practical applications—please refer to the original peer-reviewed publication on which this blog is based. The peer-reviewed article remains the most authoritative source. 

Still Tied Together? Rethinking Academic Service and Professional Associations in Physical Education

Still Tied Together? Rethinking Academic Service and Professional Associations in Physical Education

For many of us in physical education teacher education and sport pedagogy, professional associations have long been part of our academic identity. We joined early, often as doctoral students or early-career scholars, because “that’s what you do.” You present at the conference. You review abstracts. You sit on committees. You renew your membership—sometimes enthusiastically, sometimes out of habit.

R.E.A.C.H.—Building Skills, Character, and Community After the School Bell Rings

R.E.A.C.H.—Building Skills, Character, and Community After the School Bell Rings

Afterschool hours can be a missed opportunity for many adolescents—especially those in under resourced, urban neighborhoods—to accumulate daily physical activity and positive social experiences. R.E.A.C.H. (Reflective Educational Approach to Character and Health) offers a solution that blends basketball, fitness, literacy, and character education in a single, student-centered program. Below is a concise look at the article’s key findings, its discussion of impact, and major takeaways for practitioners. ​ 

Can You Trust Your BodyFat Scale?

Key takeaways 

  1. All four BIA devices overestimated bodyfat percentage (BF%) compared with the Bod Pod reference, but the size of the error differed by brand. ​ 

  1. InBody 120 and 270 showed the strongest relative agreement (ICC = 0.94 and 0.93), while the Accuniq BC310 was the least consistent (ICC = 0.88). ​ 

  1. Measurement error was wide (±7–10 percentage points)—big enough to misclassify very lean athletes near the 7 % (boys) or 12 % (girls) eligibility cutoffs. ​ 

  1. Two devices (Accuniq BC310, InBody 270) showed proportional bias, overestimating BF% in the leanest wrestlers and underestimating it in heavier peers. ​ 

  1. Regulators should vet each device individually before approving it for weight certification programs; “one-size-fits-all” assumptions are risky. ​ 

Why the study matters 

Since 1998, weight-management rules have slashed wrestling-related deaths, but they depend on accurate preseason body composition tests. DXA and hydrostatic weighing are precise yet expensive and immobile. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) scales are cheap and portable, so 27 U.S. state federations already allow at least one model. This study asked whether four readily available BIAs are trustworthy replacements for the Bod Pod (air displacement plethysmography, ADP) in 14 to 18-year-old wrestlers. ​ 

What the researchers did 

A mixedgender sample of 134 adolescent wrestlers (mean 15.6 y) reported to the lab hydrated and fasted. Each athlete completed Bod Pod testing plus sequential assessments on four BIAs—Accuniq BC310, InBody 120, InBody 270, and Tanita TBF300WA plus—all within 90 minutes. Reliability (ICC) and error (SEM, BlandAltman limits) were calculated against the Bod Pod benchmark. ​ 

What the discussion means for coaches & clinicians 

  • Precision vs. safety tradeoff: High ICCs (>0.88) look impressive, yet a ±7–10 % error band can blur the line between legal and illegal weight classes. A male wrestler truly at 6 % BF might test at 8 % on one device and be cleared to lose more weight, increasing health risk. ​ 

  • Devicespecific vetting is essential. The two InBody units performed similarly and acceptably, but the Accuniq’s larger bias and dispersion argue against blanket approval of “any BIA.” Governing bodies should demand validation data for the exact model they intend to use. ​ 

  • Proportional bias complicates lean athletes’ assessments. Because Accuniq BC310 and InBody 270 overestimate BF% most in the lightest wrestlers, they may falsely reassure coaches that an athlete has “room to cut.” Conversely, heavier wrestlers may be allowed an unrealistically low target weight. ​ 

  • ADP is not flawless either. Its own error range overlaps those of the BIAs, reminding practitioners that all indirect methods carry uncertainty. Multiple assessments or confirmation with a different technique may be warranted for borderline cases. ​ 

Practical recommendations 

  1. Use the InBody 120 (or 270) if ADP or DXA isn’t feasible, but build a ±8 % safety cushion into eligibility decisions. 

  1. Retest lean athletes (<9 % boys; <14 % girls) on a second day or with a different method before certifying weight loss goals. 

  1. Train staff to interpret limits of agreement, not just average bias, so they understand why a single number can mislead. 

  1. Advocate for ongoing validation studies as new BIA firmware and algorithms appear. 

Bottom line: BIA technology offers a convenient gateway to safer weight management in scholastic wrestling—but only when coaches and regulators respect its builtin uncertainty and select devices backed by solid, modelspecific evidence. ​ 

 Full Article:
Montgomery, M., Marttinen, R., Galpin, A. (2017). Comparison of body fat results from 4 bioelectrical impedance analysis devices vs. air displacement plethysmography in American adolescent wrestlers. International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science, 5(4), 18-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.5n.4p.18   

This blog post was written with the assistance of AI to support clarity and accessibility. It is intended to help disseminate and discuss research findings with a broader audience. However, for the most accurate and reliable information—including conclusions and practical applications—please refer to the original peer-reviewed publication on which this blog is based. The peer-reviewed article remains the most authoritative source. 

 

Crossing the Threshold: What PETE Faculty Can Learn from Peers Stepping Into Academic Leadership

Crossing the Threshold: What PETE Faculty Can Learn from Peers Stepping Into Academic Leadership

In physical education teacher education (PETE), we spend our careers preparing future educators to lead with care, clarity, and purpose. But what happens when we are asked to cross the boundary from teacher educator into academic leader? Many of us hesitate—sometimes for good reason. Leadership brings institutional politics, budget pressures, and uncomfortable conversations that don’t exactly appear in our doctoral training.

Are We Moving Enough? What Six Weeks of Accelerometer Data Tell Us about Middle Schoolers’ Activity Patterns

Are We Moving Enough? What Six Weeks of Accelerometer Data Tell Us about Middle Schoolers’ Activity Patterns

Physical education (PE) has long been championed as a lever for healthier, more active kids—but how much extra movement does PE really buy, and what happens once the weekend rolls around? A six-week study of 221 U.S. middle school students wearing wrist accelerometers offers some clear signals for teachers, parents, and policymakers. Below is a concise look at the findings, followed by a deeper dive into the results and discussion. 

Researchers tested 400 PE teachers on their Health-Related Fitness Knowledge: They got an F

Researchers tested 400 PE teachers on their Health-Related Fitness Knowledge: They got an F

Physical education is more than games and movement—it’s about equipping students with the knowledge and habits for lifelong health. But here’s the hard truth: many in-service PE teachers lack the foundational knowledge to teach health-related fitness effectively. A recent study published in the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education by Jose Santiago and colleagues shines a spotlight on this issue, and the findings should make every PE teacher and teacher educator pause.

Shifting Attitudes in Just Six Weeks: What a Middle‑School Fitness Unit Taught Us About Physical Education

Shifting Attitudes in Just Six Weeks: What a Middle‑School Fitness Unit Taught Us About Physical Education

How quickly can a student’s feelings about physical education (PE) change? In 2018 with some colleagues we set out to answer exactly that by following 221 U.S. middle‑schoolers through a six‑week fitness‑focused unit. Using the validated Student Attitude toward Physical Education (SAtPE) instrument, we captured attitudes at the start and end of the unit, then drilled into the numbers to see what moved—and who was most affected. Our findings offer guidance for PE teachers designing units that keep students engaged and active.   

Those Finns Really Are On to Something: Why the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities Matters

Those Finns Really Are On to Something: Why the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities Matters

In many countries, conversations about children’s well-being tend to focus on what happens inside school walls—curriculum, achievement, test scores, or learning loss. But what about the hours before school starts, after school ends, or the precious time between homework and bedtime? What about the space where culture, creativity, sport, friendship, and identity take shape?

The Contribution of TPSR Scholarship and Practice to Social Justice

The Contribution of TPSR Scholarship and Practice to Social Justice

In a recent episode of the Playing with Research in Health and Physical Education podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Michael Hemphill (UNC Greensboro) and Dr. Paul Wright (Northern Illinois University) about their recent article, “The Contribution of TPSR Scholarship and Practice to Social Justice.” Our discussion revisited the roots of the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model while exploring how it continues to evolve in today’s educational landscape.

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We discuss research, theory and current issues in the fields of health and physical education in an easy to understand way. Our aim is to make research accessible to educators and university students from all over the globe.