Neighborhood Poverty Histories and Physical Activity Among Children: Findings From the Geographic Research on Wellbeing (GROW) Study.

Purpose: Examine the association between neighborhood poverty histories and physical activity, and the moderation effect of family poverty and the mediation effect of built environments in such association.

Design: A cross-sectional study of the Geographic Research on Wellbeing (2012-2013), a follow-up survey of statewide-representative Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (2003-2007). Setting: California. Participants: A total of 2493 women with children. Measures: Outcome measures are (1) daily leisure physical activity and (2) days of physical activity among children. An independent variable is poverty histories of census tract where the child resided. Mediators were mother-perceived social cohesion, mother-perceived neighborhood safety, distance to the closest park, and park acreage within 0.5 miles from the home. A moderator is family poverty. Analysis: Weighted regression analysis.

Results: Family poverty was a significant moderator (P < .05); poor children in neighborhoods with long-term moderate poverty, long-term high poverty, or increasing poverty (vs long-term low poverty) had greater odds of daily physical activity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 1.50, 1.66, respectively). Nonpoor children in neighborhoods with long-term moderate poverty or increasing poverty (vs long-term low poverty) were associated with decreased odds of daily physical activity (OR = 0.61 and 0.44, respectively). Mediation associations were insignificant (P > .05).

Conclusion: The combined effect of family financial strains and neighborhood economic resources might prevent poor children in neighborhoods with long-term low poverty and decreasing poverty from utilizing health-promoting resources in neighborhoods.