WHAT SEX SPECIFIC ROLES DO CULTURAL CONNECTEDNESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT PLAY IN MEETING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES AMONG FIRST NATIONS AND MÉTIS PEOPLES IN SASKATCHEWAN?

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) and social support (SS) lower chronic illness risks among males and females. How cultural connectedness (CC) and SS affect PA among Métis and First Nations-Status (FN) males and females is unknown. Objective: This study examines sex-specific associations of CC and SS on PA among Métis and FN-Status in Saskatchewan. Methods: Indigenous Peoples at the University of Saskatchewan completed online surveys evaluating sex, PA, CC, SS, family/friends SS for PA, home communities (HM), foster care (FC) and discrimination experiences. Identity and sex-specific analyses evaluated CC and SS scores on muscle strengthening (MS) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines. Across HM, discriminatory and FC experiences, identity, and sex-specific MS and MVPA were compared. Results: Participants included 66 Métis and 115 FN-Status. Métis females meeting MVPA guidelines reported lower SS from community than those not meeting MVPA guidelines (12.6±2.4 vs. 14.2±2.1, p=0.03). FN-Status females meeting MVPA guidelines reported lower CC spirituality (18.3±6.5 vs. 21.7±5.7, p=0.04) than FN-Status females not meeting MVPA guidelines. FN-Status males meeting MVPA guidelines reported higher identity (53.2±3.1 vs.41.8±7.8, p=0.003) and overall CC (97.9±13.4 vs. 74.0±16.0, p=0.02) than FN-Status males not meeting MVPA guidelines. FN-Status females reported higher MS when encouraged (2.0±2.1 times/week vs.1.1±1.6 times/week, p=0.04) or watched (1.9±2.0 times/week vs. 1.2±1.8 times/week, p=0.04) by family/friends or family/friends participated in PA (2.1±2.1 times/week vs.1.1±1.8 times/week, p=0.02) than those without SS for PA. FN-Status females reported higher MVPA when encouraged (195.6±220.8 min/week vs. 99.3±165.8 min/week, p=0.01) or watched (183.6±215.9 min/week vs. 124.9±188.0 min/week, p=0.02) by family/friends than those without SS for PA. FN-Status females meeting MS guidelines reported greater discriminatory experiences (6.7±1.7 vs. 5.7±1.7, p=0.01) than those not meeting MS guidelines. FN-Status females with personal/family FC experiences reported lower MVPA than those without FC experiences (135.5±194.8 min/week vs. 221.3±234.2 min/week, p=0.03). FN-Status females from off-reserve HM reported higher MVPA than on-reserve or both. FN-Status males and females from southern versus northern HM reported higher MVPA. Conclusion: Community SS is associated with lower MVPA among Métis females. Among FN-Status males and females, CC, family/friends SS for PA, FC and off-reserve or southern HM are associated with greater PA

WHAT SEX SPECIFIC ROLES DO CULTURAL CONNECTEDNESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT PLAY IN MEETING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES AMONG FIRST NATIONS AND MÉTIS PEOPLES IN SASKATCHEWAN?

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) and social support (SS) lower chronic illness risks among males and females. How cultural connectedness (CC) and SS affect PA among Métis and First Nations-Status (FN) males and females is unknown. Objective: This study examines sex-specific associations of CC and SS on PA among Métis and FN-Status in Saskatchewan. Methods: Indigenous Peoples at the University of Saskatchewan completed online surveys evaluating sex, PA, CC, SS, family/friends SS for PA, home communities (HM), foster care (FC) and discrimination experiences. Identity and sex-specific analyses evaluated CC and SS scores on muscle strengthening (MS) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines. Across HM, discriminatory and FC experiences, identity, and sex-specific MS and MVPA were compared. Results: Participants included 66 Métis and 115 FN-Status. Métis females meeting MVPA guidelines reported lower SS from community than those not meeting MVPA guidelines (12.6±2.4 vs. 14.2±2.1, p=0.03). FN-Status females meeting MVPA guidelines reported lower CC spirituality (18.3±6.5 vs. 21.7±5.7, p=0.04) than FN-Status females not meeting MVPA guidelines. FN-Status males meeting MVPA guidelines reported higher identity (53.2±3.1 vs.41.8±7.8, p=0.003) and overall CC (97.9±13.4 vs. 74.0±16.0, p=0.02) than FN-Status males not meeting MVPA guidelines. FN-Status females reported higher MS when encouraged (2.0±2.1 times/week vs.1.1±1.6 times/week, p=0.04) or watched (1.9±2.0 times/week vs. 1.2±1.8 times/week, p=0.04) by family/friends or family/friends participated in PA (2.1±2.1 times/week vs.1.1±1.8 times/week, p=0.02) than those without SS for PA. FN-Status females reported higher MVPA when encouraged (195.6±220.8 min/week vs. 99.3±165.8 min/week, p=0.01) or watched (183.6±215.9 min/week vs. 124.9±188.0 min/week, p=0.02) by family/friends than those without SS for PA. FN-Status females meeting MS guidelines reported greater discriminatory experiences (6.7±1.7 vs. 5.7±1.7, p=0.01) than those not meeting MS guidelines. FN-Status females with personal/family FC experiences reported lower MVPA than those without FC experiences (135.5±194.8 min/week vs. 221.3±234.2 min/week, p=0.03). FN-Status females from off-reserve HM reported higher MVPA than on-reserve or both. FN-Status males and females from southern versus northern HM reported higher MVPA. Conclusion: Community SS is associated with lower MVPA among Métis females. Among FN-Status males and females, CC, family/friends SS for PA, FC and off-reserve or southern HM are associated with greater PA