Does mental and physical health status differ by physical activity in Hispanic females ages 25-44?

Introduction: Previous studies have shown a relationship between mental and physical health with physical activity; however, these studies did not focus on Hispanic women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whether mental and physical health differ by physical activity level in Hispanic women ages 25 to 44. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used 2017 BRFSS data for Hispanic women ages 25 to 44 from California (N=531), Colorado (N=222), Florida (N=495), New York (N=282), and Texas (N=498). Multiple logistic regression analysis for combined state data was used to assess the relationship separately for mental health and physical health with physical activity level while controlling for health behaviors, health status, demographic factors, and socioeconomic status. Results: The majority of participants reported good mental health (61-67%) and good physical health (54-71%), and about one-third reported being physically inactive (24-41%). The results of adjusted analysis indicated that physical activity and physical health were moderately related (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.05, 2.10). However, there was no significant relationship between physical activity and mental health. Conclusion: Overall, physical activity was moderately related to physical health, but not to mental health. These results may generalize to Hispanic females ages 25 to 44 in primary care settings. Providers should always screen for issues with physical health, mental health, and physical inactivity, but only treat physical health and physical inactivity issues concurrently.