The Daily Physical Activity Patterns of Navajo Youth

Background/Purpose: Understanding the habitual physical activity patterns of youth is an essential first step to designing and implementing effective physical activity programming. This is especially important in American Indian Youth who may be at the greatest risk for hypokinetic diseases. To date very little research has explored the physical activity patterns of American Indian youth. The existing research has exclusively explored the physical activity patterns of elementary aged American Indian children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the daily physical activity patterns and physical education step counts of Native American high school age youth.

Method: Participants included 50 Navajo youth 15.1±1.45 years of age (27 males) who wore the Yamax Digiwalker SW-200 pedometer for 7 consecutive days (5 weekdays and 2 weekend days). Children were prompted to record their step counts each day as well as before and after physical education by the research team and were given reminder letters so that their parents could prompt them on the weekend.

Analysis/Results: Means and standard deviations were calculated and t tests and ANOVAs were utilized to examine difference by sex and day of the week. Boys accumulated 11078 step per weekday and 6493 steps on weekend day. Girls accumulated 7567 steps per weekday and 7589 steps on weekend days. During PE classes boys accumulated 2203 steps compared to 1939 for girls.  Boys were significantly more active during weekdays (p<.05). There were not significant differences on weekend days or during physical education by sex. Boys were significantly more active on weekdays (p<.05).

Conclusions: This study is significant since it is one of the only studies available that has measured the physical activity patterns of Secondary Native American youth. Youth in the current sample were failing to meet the daily recommendation of 12000 steps per day with girls falling nearly 4500 steps short of this recommendation (both weekdays & weekend). This sample of youth would benefit from additional physical activity programming both during and after school and on the weekends. Weekend physical activity patterns were similar to other studies of youth; however; weekday physical activity patterns were generally lower than previous daily activity patterns of youth. Physical education appears to be a strong contributor to daily activity patterns of youth as is contributed approximately 26% and 20% of daily activity for girls and boys, respectively. Overall this group of youth needs additional physical activity programming on weekdays and weekends.