Physical activity stages of change surveillance data shows that the majority of Hawai‘i’s Keiki (Children) meet the guidelines

ABSTRACT

Targeting Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) children based on their physical activity (PA) stages of change (SOC) may improve intervention effectiveness. No known SOC surveillance system exists for NHOPI jurisdictions. The purpose was to determine the PA SOC prevalence over 5 years in children living in Hawaiʻi. Self-reported PA SOC from 5 cohorts (3–6 grade students) in Hawaiʻi were compared between cohorts and sex. The combined PA SOC distribution (n = 1726, 50.7% female) was: Precontemplation, 7.5%; Contemplation, 7.6%; Preparation, 9.9%; Action, 33.4%; Maintenance, 41.5%. There were no significant difference between cohorts 1 and 2 (n = 258), χ² (16) = 21.75, p = 0.15; 2 and 3 (n = 129), χ² (16) = 17.51, p = 0.35; 3 and 4 (n = 171), χ² (16) = 17.28, p = 0.77; 4 and 5 (n = 129), χ² (16) = 17.51, p = 0.35; and for all cohorts between males and females (p > 0.05). Most participants were in Action and Maintenance. Prevention efforts should emphasize maintaining PA levels. Extending PA behavior surveillance systems to include intention in NHOPI jurisdictions is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Child health
• physical activity
• surveillance
• stage of change

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA), an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, and by the Office of Public Health Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The authors would like to thank Mary Guo, Johanna Anderson, Mahabub Anwar, Angela Atkins, Marina Johler, Kyaw Lin Tun, and Clémence Belleudy for their contribution.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Hawai’i Medical Service Association (HMSA), an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.