Age-related differences in social ecosystems of physical activity in African American women.

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined how social ecosystems affect health behaviors among African American women during middle to older adulthood. Specifically, this study compared the effects of social support from friends, social support from family, and neighborhood social life on accelerometry-assessed moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) across 24-months and whether effects were moderated by age among African American women (> 40 years).

Method: Data were analyzed from a sub-set of African American women (N = 213, Age = 58.97 ± 11.26, Body Mass Index = 32.8 ± 8.1) enrolled in the Positive Action for Today's Health trial. MVPA was assessed using 7-day accelerometry-estimates and psychosocial data related to social ecosystems were collected at baseline, 12-, 18-, and 24-months.

Results: Multilevel modeling revealed a significant interaction between neighborhood social life and age on MVPA (Estimate = .003, p = .024), such that among older adults a more positive social life was positively associated with MVPA (Estimate = .076, p < .001). There was a marginal interaction between social support from friends and age on MVPA (Estimate = -.016, p = .080), such that among middle-age adults greater social support from friends was positively associated with MVPA (Estimate = .477, p = .015). There was a significant main effect of social support from family on MVPA (Estimate = 0.417, p = .003), which was not moderated by age.

Conclusion: These results suggest the importance of considering a lifespan approach when developing interventions for African American women that address changes in the social ecosystems from middle to older age. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).