Background: Racial and ethnic minority groups have lower levels of leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) than whites, but it is unclear how much of this is explained by differences in socioeconomic status and health. Objective: To examine differences in LTPA, work‐related physical activity (WRPA; heavy household chores and strenuous job activities), and total physical activity (TPA) by race, ethnicity, and education. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cross‐sectional analyses of data from the 1992 Health and Retirement Study for a nationally representative cohort of 9,621 community‐dwelling adults aged 51–61 years. Measurements: Physical activity scores for LTPA, WRPA, and TPA based upon self‐reported frequency of light or vigorous recreational activities, heavy household chores, and strenuous job‐related physical activities. Main Results: LTPA was lower for blacks and Hispanics compared to whites, and LTPA steadily declined with lower levels of education. WRPA showed the reverse pattern, being lowest for whites and persons with greater education. Education was far more important than race/ethnicity as a determinant of LTPA and WRPA in multivariate analyses. After adjusting for differences in overall health and physical functioning, mean TPA scores were similar across racial/ethnic and education categories; blacks (β=1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5 to 1.5) and Spanish‐speaking Hispanics (β=1.1; 95% CI, 0.3 to 1.9) had slightly higher levels of TPA than whites (P<.01 and P=.01, respectively). Conclusions: Differences in educational attainment and health status accounted for virtually all of the racial and ethnic differences in LTPA. After accounting for WRPA, TPA was similar across race, ethnicity, and education subgroups.

Maintaining ideal body weight is important in preventing decline in overall health and physical functioning. However, regular exercise can reduce the risk of health decline even among individuals who cannot achieve ideal weight.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify environmental, policy, and cultural predictors of physical activity in urban African American women living in Baltimore, MD. Thirty-nine mostly well-educated women participated in eight focus group discussions, five for women aged 36 to 50 years and three for women 20 to 35 years of age. Transcripts were analyzed using QSR NUD*IST qualitative software, and themes were identified. The discussions identified numerous opportunities and barriers for physical activity. The women reported being aware of physical activity resources and facilities available to them, but they lacked time and motivation to participate. Family responsibilities and duties unique to African American women were cited often. The results suggest that providing more environmental facilities may not be sufficient to increase physical activity in well-educated urban African American women. Intervention strategies that place value on family and cultural responsibilities should be considered.

Objective. To determine the effect of leisure time and work-related physical activity on changes in physical functioning among 3,554 nationally representative survey respondents, ages 53-63 years in 1994, with arthritis and joint symptoms, interviewed in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Methods. In 1992-1994, light and vigorous exercise items were empirically categorized into recommended, insufficient, and inactive leisure time physical activity levels using data from the HRS. Leisure and work-related physical activity levels in 1994 were used to predict 1996 functional decline or improvement, controlling for baseline functional difficulties, health status, sociodemographic characteristics, and behavioral risk factors. Results. Whereas 29.7% of respondents reported functional declines in 1996, 38.6% of those with baseline difficulties in 1994 reported improvement. Compared with inactive respondents, recommended and insufficient leisure time physical activity were equally protective against functional decline (odds ratio [OR] 0.59 and 0.62, respectively; P < 0.0001). Higher levels of physical activity were also modestly associated with functional improvement among respondents with baseline functional difficulties (OR 1.47, P ‫؍‬ 0.05 and OR 1.45, P ‫؍‬ 0.01, respectively). Work-related physical activity was not a significant predictor of decline or improvement. Conclusion. Given the high prevalence of arthritis, even modest increases in rates of lifestyle physical activity among older adults could make a substantial contribution to disability-free life expectancy.