International Journal of Public Health
Volume 60, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 49-58

Association between migration and physical activity of school-age children left behind in rural Mexico (Article)

Palos-Lucio G. , Flores M. , Rivera-Pasquel M. , Salgado-de-Snyder V.N. , Monterrubio E. , Henao S. , Macias N.*
  • a Nutrition and Health Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • b Nutrition and Health Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • c Nutrition and Health Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • d Health Systems Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • e Nutrition and Health Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • f Nutrition and Health Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • g Nutrition and Health Research Center, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Mexico

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore in rural communities of Mexico, the association between physical activity (PA) in school-age children and exposure to migration.Methods: We measured PA through a questionnaire validated in school-age children and used in Mexican National Surveys. Migration status was measured as the number of years a family member had been in the US, and the amount of remittances that family member had sent to their household in Mexico. We used multivariable linear regression to measure the association between physical activity and migration.Results: School-age children who had a migrant family member spent less time on PA per day, especially recreation activities, compared to school-age children without the migrating influence. Also, children who belonged to a family that received remittances and their migrant relative lived ≥5 years in US were less likely to engage in PA.Conclusions: Exposure to migration may predict reduction in PA in school-age children left behind in Mexican rural communities from the State of Morelos. These findings call for PA-tailored interventions that consider household migration characteristics. © 2014, Swiss School of Public Health.

Author Keywords

Mexico Immigration School-age children physical activity

Index Keywords

exercise human rural population comparative study child behavior Mexico Humans psychology Adolescent male female questionnaire Questionnaires migration Emigration and Immigration Linear Models statistical model Transients and Migrants attitude to health Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84925464677&doi=10.1007%2fs00038-014-0630-2&partnerID=40&md5=04817dd6df9759c7f30bec71cbe068b1
DOI: 10.1007/s00038-014-0630-2
ISSN: 16618556
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English