The Perceptions of Hispanic College Students with Disabilities Towards Diet and Exercise a Potential Impact on Health, Rehabilitation and Employment Longevity.

Understanding potential barriers to physical activity and diet for Hispanics with disabilities is integral to developing effective policies and interventions that support their engagement in healthy diets and exercise. Adequate activity and proper nutrition have the potential to improve structural factor inequities, social determinants of health, risk factors, and health system barriers. There is a scarcity of studies on Hispanic college students living with disabilities. This mixed-method study aimed to identify the perceptions of Hispanic college students living with disabilities towards diet and exercise. Results indicate that motivation, knowledge, and contextual supports positively influence engagement in healthy diet and exercise behaviors. Implications for rehabilitation professionals rest on the opportunities they have to supplement their intervention with education to support the cycle of healthy diet and exercise. Improving healthy diet and exercise behaviors can potentially translate to positive health-related outcomes, improved employment performance, independent living, and increased community participation. The Perceptions of Hispanic College Students with Disabilities Towards Diet and Exercise, a Potential Impact on Health, Rehabilitation and Employment Longevity A healthy diet, physical activity, proper sleep, and stress management are essential to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight (CDC, 2023). However, engagement in health promotion activities, such as diet and exercise, are not equitable among all populations such as Hispanics with disabilities. We use the term Hispanic since the Rio Grande Valley population is primarily of Mexican descent and 2023 Demographic Data shows 79% of the population speak Spanish at home (rgvhealthconnect.org, 2023). For this study, the term disability is used to include any impairment that may significantly limit a major life activity, including breathing, working, self-care tasks, and learning (U.S. Department of Education, 2020). Hispanics with disabilities are more likely to have patterns of physical inactivity (CDC, 2019) and nutritional profiles (Glassman, Figueroa, & Irigoyen, 2011; Reyes-Ortiz, Ju, Eschbach, Kuo, & Goodwin, 2009; Rimmer, Yamaki, Davis, Wang, & Vogel, 2011) that contribute to a higher rate of obesity (CDC, 2019). These health behaviors place the this population and an increased risk for obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes (CDC, 2022). For underrepresented populations, there is a need to understand the interactions between diet and exercise more clearly. The Model of Human Occupation (Kielhofner, 2002), provides a holistic interpretive lens for this study through which to examine these phenomena to identify potential supports and barriers to health and function. The potential to make changes in dietary and exercise habits and diminish the potential onset of preventable conditions related to obesity for this population hinges on identifying perceived supporting and inhibiting factors to engagement in healthy dietary behaviors and physical activity across the lifespan. This study aimed to examine the perception of Hispanic college students with disabilities toward diet and exercise.