The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #36954

Elizabeth Goodman, MD¹, Nancy E. Adler, PhD², Stephen R. Daniels, MD, PhD³, Gail B Slap, MD, MSc⁴, John Morrison, PhD³, and Lawrence M. Dolan, MD³. (1) Heller Graduate School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, MS 035, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02454, 781-736-3902, egoodman@brandeis.edu, (2) Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 3333 California Street, Suite 456, San Francisco, CA 94118, (3) Cincinnati Children's Hospital, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, (4) Division of Adolescent Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, ML 4000, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229

Background: Most past work on the relationship between social status and obesity has not considered subjective perceptions of social status or different dimensions of social stratification. Objective: To describe subjective social status (SSS) at two levels of social stratification (school and society) and to characterize the associations between socioeconomic status (SES), SSS, and adolescent obesity. Methods: Cross sectional study of 893 black and white adolescents from the single public high school of an urban school district near Cincinnati, Ohio. Body mass index ³ 95th % according to the 2000 CDC growth charts defined obesity. Students rated personal SSS on separate 10-point scales for school and society.¹ A parent provided information on SES (parent education, household income). Results: Subjects were 49% female, 46% black. Mean age=16.2+/-1.2. Mean societal SSS=6.6+/-1.4. Mean school SSS=7.4+/-1.6. SES and SSS did not differ by gender. However, while there were no racial differences in school SSS, black students had lower societal SSS (p=0.03) and lower SES (p <0.001) than white students. Students with lower SES and school SSS were more likely to be obese (p <0.05). In logistic regression analyses controlling for age, gender, race, and SES, each point decrease in school SSS was associated with a 15% increased risk of obesity (OR _SSS=1.15, 95% CIs 1.02, 1.30). Conclusions: Perceptions of social stratification are associated with obesity among adolescents independent of measures of objective SES. Status in a more local, immediate social reference group (school) has a stronger association with obesity than social status in society at large.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this abstract, participants should be able to
• Recognize that socioeconomic status (SES) and subjective social status are different domains of social status.
• Identify methods for measuring both domains of social status in adolescents.
• Understand that the various dimensions of social status impact differently on adolescent obesity.

Keywords: Social Class Measurement, Obesity

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.