Greg Dwyer, PhD, Exercise Physiology, East Stroudsburg University, 200 Prospect Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 and Alberto J.F. Cardelle, PhD, MPH, Department of Public Health, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 200 prospect Street, Denike Building, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, 570-422-3401, acardelle@po-box.esu.edu.

The literature shows that regardless of educational attainment or household earnings, Hispanic Americans engaged in less leisure time physical activity than non-Hispanic whites. The literature also shows increasing disparity among Hispanics (as compared to non-Hispanic whites) of chronic diseases that have low physical activity as a risk factor. In rural areas of the country where the Hispanic population is growing, programs and messages encouraging greater physical activity are limited. This paper presents the results of a survey of 100 Hispanic households in Monroe County in Northeast Pennsylvania, a rural county with a Hispanic population that grew by 350% over the last ten years. The results show that over 60% of households report trying to increase their physical activity level on at least three days of the week. However, only 28% reported physical activity on at least 3 or more days per week, and of these 49% reported to exercise vigorously on only 2 or fewer days per week. More people report to be less physically active today then they were one year ago, more households reported that they are less active than ‘like’ individuals their same age, and the majority of the households report to be less physically active today than ten years ago. These results correlated with overall household health status and access to a medical home. The growing minority population in the United States and the proliferation of this population to the rural areas of the country highlights that "one-size-fits-all" fitness programs will not work. Providers need to be aware of the growing inequities as they relate to physical activity in order to successfully tailor exercise messages to the reality of minority groups.

Learning Objectives:

• Define disparities faced by rural latino populations.
• Analyze factors associated with physical activity. 3)Identify possible future interventions aimed to incresae physical activity amongst latinos.

Keywords: Latino Health, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.