Communication resources for obesity prevention among African American and Latino residents in an urban neighborhood

African Americans and Latinos are at disproportionately high risk for obesity and for the chronic conditions and diseases associated with it. This study uses communication infrastructure theory to explore how connections to neighborhood communication resources and communication with family members can affect residents regular exercise and healthy eating behaviors - two of the most direct strategies for achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Regression analyses revealed that connections to the neighborhood storytelling network and family interaction predicted residents regular exercise and that family interaction had the strongest effect on the likelihood of exercising regularly. Family interaction was the only independent variable that predicted residents daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Implications of these findings for community health programs and theory development are discussed.