186053 Overweight and obesity among racially/ethnic diverse foreign- and US-born adults: The role of education and sex

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Debbie S. Barrington, PhD, MPH , Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
Maria Baquero, MPH , Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
Luisa Borrell, DDS, PhD , Epidemiology, The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY
Natalie Crawford, MPH , Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York City, NY
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found racial/ethnic and sex heterogeneity in the relationship between socioeconomic position (SEP) and obesity in the US. Little is known on whether nativity status (foreign-born vs. US-born) also moderates this association.

METHODS: We analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey 1997-2005 on 267,585 adults aged > 18 years. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity/nativity status and body mass index (BMI) categories of overweight (25-29.9) and obesity (> 30) according to education and sex.

RESULTS: Disparate associations were found between education and the BMI categories across the racial/ethnicity/nativity status/sex groups. Overall, increasing odds of overweight were found with greater levels of education among US-born black men relative to US-born white men, 46% (95% CI: 1.22, 1.76) < HS, 38% (95% CI: 1.23, 1.55) HS, 73% (95% CI: 1.50, 2.01) some college and 100% (95% CI: 1.75, 2.29) college. Increasing education conferred a decreasing odds of overweight among US-born Hispanic women relative to US-born white women, 133% (95% CI: 1.94, 2.79) < HS, 90% (95% CI: 1.63, 2.21) HS, 91% (95% CI:1.64, 2.23) some college, and 67% (95% CI: 1.42, 1.97) college. Educational attainment continued to remain a protective factor for obesity among US-born Hispanic women, whereas it appeared to be a risk factor among US-born black women.

CONCLUSIONS: These complex variations across race/ethnicity, sex and nativity support research into the mechanisms of SEP associations with overweight and obesity.

Learning Objectives:
Describe the disparities in overweight and obesity, by race/ethnicity, sex and nativity status. Identify the variations in the associations between education and overweight/obesity according to race/ethnicity, sex and nativity. Discuss potential mechanisms underlying the differential effects of education on overweight/obesity among foreign- and US-born men and women.

Keywords: Obesity, Immigrants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a PhD in epidemiologic science. I have designed the analytical plan for this study and am the first author on the manuscript.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Obesity Epidemiology Poster Session
See more of: Epidemiology