Purpose: Greater acculturation to the US is associated with CVD risk among Latinx adults; less is known regarding associations between acculturation and modifiable CVD risk factors [i.e., physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB)] among aging Latinx adults. This secondary analysis of the COMPASS trial investigated relations between acculturation and adherence to combined moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and SB guidelines at 12-mos. among midlife and older Latinx adults from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Methods: Participants received a 12-mos. PA program delivered by computer or human advisors. Baseline acculturation was estimated via the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics, a 12-item questionnaire with a total acculturation score and three subscales measuring language use, media preference, and ethnic/social relations. Responses were on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores representing greater US acculturation. Total MVPA min/wk was measured using the CHAMPS questionnaire, and total SB min/wk was assessed via a 1-wk recall survey. Logistic regression evaluated links between acculturation and adherence to the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology age-specific combined guidelines for MVPA (≥150 min/wk) and SB (<8 hr/day or <56 hr over 1-wk). Acculturation was analyzed as a continuous measure and separately dichotomized as low vs. high using mean scores as the cutoff. Models were adjusted for baseline MVPA and SB, intervention arm, gender, education, years in the US, income, and BMI.
Results: At baseline and 12-mos. 6.4% and 30.2%, respectively, of the sample (N=235) adhered to the combined guidelines. Irrespective of the intervention arm, every 1-point increase in the language use score was associated with 1.7 times higher odds (95%CI:1.1, 2.6; p=.01) of 12-mos. adherence. Compared to the low acculturation group, the high acculturation group had 2.6 times higher odds (95%CI:1.0,6.4; p=.04) of adhering to the guidelines. For the language use subscale, those in the higher language use group had 2.9 times higher odds (95%CI: 1.1, 7.7; p=.03) of 12-mos. adherence to the guidelines compared to the low acculturation group.
Conclusions: In this Latinx trial, higher acculturation was associated with adherence to 12-mos. MVPA and SB guidelines, regardless of program assignment. Results emphasize the significance of integrating acculturation considerations into the planning of behavioral trials, specifically for Latinx older adults.