Scheduled for Poster Session: The Impact of Physical Activity Across Society, Lifespans, and Cultures, Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Reseach Consortium Poster Sessions


Determinants for Teaching Physical Activity/Nutrition in a Native American Community

Timothy Brusseau, Pamela H. Kulinna, Ernesto Ramirez and Kelly Barnes, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ

Native American children are at increased risk for hypokinetic diseases related to physical inactivity and inadequate nutrition. Schools are a major contributor to physical activity (PA) and health knowledge and behavior for most USA children. This study grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) investigated teachers' intentions (INT) and behaviors related to teaching healthy behavior content. Adequate instruction about physical activity and nutrition is a necessary step to improve children's knowledge and behaviors. Purpose: To identify determinants of teachers' behaviors related to teaching PA and nutrition in a Native American community. Methods: Participants were 38 (19 female, 9 male), mostly American Indian (29%), Caucasian (50%), or African-American (13%), classroom (31) and Physical Education (7), K-12 teachers in a Native American Community. Teachers' completed a previously validated instrument based on the TPB, demonstrating high levels of internal consistency in this sample (α > .90). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the TPB model of teacher attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), control (CON), and INT predicting teacher behavior. Results: Fit indices for teaching PA indicated that the TPB model was a good fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.0; CFI = 1.0). Significant path coefficients were present from ATT (.31, p<.01) and SN (.57, p<.001) to INT. INT also predicted teacher behavior (.85, p<.001). ATT, SN, and CON accounted for 86% of the variance in INT, and INT and CON accounted for 48% of the variance in behavior. Fit indices for teaching nutrition also indicated that the model was a good fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.0; CFI = 1.0). Significant path coefficients were found from SN (.46, p<.05) to INT. INT (.41, p<.05) and CON (.37, p<.05) also predicted teacher behavior. ATT, SN, and CON accounted for 57% of the variance in INT, and INT and CON accounted for 41% of the variance in behavior. Conclusions: Overall, the data suggests ATT towards teaching PA and nutrition along with social influences on teaching behaviors have a moderate-large influence on INT and those INT have moderate-large effects on teaching behaviors. This study is one of the first to examine the determinants of classroom teachers' behaviors related to teaching PA and Nutrition as well as to investigate these behaviors in a Native American community. This information can be used in designing inservice programs for teachers leading to increased healthy behavior content taught.
Keyword(s): exercise/fitness/physical activity, health promotion, nutrition

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