Background
The Mexican-origin population is the fastest growing racial/ethnic subpopulation in the U.S. This population growth has been occurring in the burgeoning coloniasalong the U.S. border with Mexico, especially in Texas and in new-destination immigrant communities throughout the U.S., including the Midwest, the South, the Northeast, and the Northwest. New-destination communities are characterized by a high concentration of Mexican-origin residents and rapid growth in locations previously unsettled by Mexican immigrants. As an archetype for new destination communities, coloniasare smaller, more dispersed communities comprised of disproportionately poor families of Mexican-origin with limited access to resources. This subpopulation also has the greatest risk for obesity and diabetes in the U.S. Although evidence consistently supports a positive and significant relationship between physical activity participation and a reduced risk for diabetes and obesity/overweight across all people and age groups, fewer individuals of Mexican-origin, including children, report engaging in physical activity at levels related with health benefits. Research also consistently supports relationships between physical activity and social ecological factors, namely the physical environment. However, these relationships have not been examined in colonia communities.

Objectives
The aim of this study was to identify and better understand (1) perceived barriers to colonia children engaging in physical activity and (2) salient environmental physical activity resources/supports within colonia households and neighborhoods.

Methods
Data for this study were collected using face-to-face interviews and environmental support checklists conducted in Spanish by promotora-researchers (indigenous community health workers trained in research methods). The study sample consists of 96 family dyads from colonias (mother and child 6-11 years) in four geographic areas within Hidalgo County, Texas.
Face-to-face interviews included demographic characteristics, health characteristics, and barriers to physical activity for children, reported independently by children and mothers. Barrier lists were developed using current physical activity literature and feedback from promotora-researchers.

Physical activity environmental resource/support checklists were guided and developed using current physical activity literature and visual scans of 32 coloniasin 3 areas of Hildalgo County in South Texas. Promotora-researchersreviewed checklists and 16 household and 23 neighborhood items were retained. Promotora-researchers completed checklists for all households and neighborhoods associated with participating family dyads.

Results
All participants were of Mexican-origin, a third of the children were born in Mexico, and Spanish was the language spoken in all households. Just under half of the children were overweight or obese and the majority were girls.

Barriers
The most frequently reported barriers to physical activity, exercise, or sport by interviewed children were dogs in the street (75.0%), heat (56.3%), bad weather (52.1%), traffic (44.8%), no streetlights (44.8%), and no place like a park to exercise (41.7%). Most frequent barriers as reported by mothers for their children were similar, with the following additions: no sidewalks (49%) and children not having adequate clothing (41.8%). The least frequently reported barriers by children and mothers included immigration status, inability to leave the house or small children alone, loose farm animals, asthma, trash, crime, kidnappings, exercise isn’t fun, fear of getting hurt, and lack of encouragement.

Resources
The most frequently recorded household environmental physical activity resources included patio space (90.0%), sport balls (basketball, football, soccer; 80.8%), bicycles/tricycles (72.7%), and push cars (50.5%). However, fewer than a ¼ of the households had the following physical activity resources: volleyball net (3%), toy train (14.1%), tire swing (7%), tires for children to roll or play with (9.1%), paved driveway (16.2%), swing set (17.2%), weight machine (18.2%), pool (for swimming; 19.2%), and trampoline (22.2%). The most frequently recorded environmental physical activity resources within colonianeighborhoods included bicycles/tricycles (97.0%), paved streets (91.9%), trampolines (91.9%), sport balls (88.9%), swing sets (87.9%), patio space (86.%), basketball goals (84.8%), good streets for running or walking (82.8%), and church or school playgrounds (70.7%). However, the following physical activity resources were limited in surveyed neighborhoods: recreational buildings (24.2%), tires to roll or play with (25.3%), and only 24.2% of mothers reported having a walking route. Additionally, neighborhoods frequently had the following factors shown to hinder physical activity participation: no stoplights (69.7%), traffic (64.6%), and a lot of graffiti (47.5%).

Conclusions
This study suggests that environmental resources and barriers for colonias children are both similar to previous studies and distinctively unique. As expected, built resources for these communities are limited; however, knowledge of available physical activity resources within coloniahouseholds and neighborhoods offers insight and can help guide policy and physical activity initiatives. Future research should aim to understand physical activity options, current programming, and the social environment of colonias. Future physical activity and health initiatives targeting colonia children should use these findings to guide development and implementation. Policy makers should use these findings to help guide decisions about resource allocation within colonias and new-destination immigrant communities.

Support/Funding

• RWJF/Healthy Eating Research #66969
• NIH/NIMHD #5P20MD002295
• CDC/Cooperative Agreement #1U48DP001924 Core Research Project and Special Interest Project Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network