BMI by ethnicity and immigration status in US residents over 50

This paper aims to assess the differences between ethnicities in the age groups over 50 years old, with the hypothesis that BMI can be different in ethnic groups living in the United States according their gender and length of life in the United States. The data derive from ten years (2001-2010) of the National Health Interview Survey Adult Sample, a yearly, nationally-representative survey (n=280,483). Men show higher BMI than women, married than unmarried. BMI shows a strong increase with age but declines at advanced ages. African Americans, American Indians, Mexican, Chinese and Filipinos born in the United States, experienced declining BMI as they aged, with lower rate compared to immigrants. Chinese and Filipinos had the lowest BMI among residents. Cuban and Dominicans born in the USA had lower BMI compared to the immigrants. As the people age their BMI increase, but the trend will be slower after the age of 50 in both natives and immigrants. Thus age is one of the factors affect BMI. Yet these changes vary in different ethnicities. Ethnicity as well as immigration, marriage, and education can be considered as one of the factors for BMI in people over 50 years old, although the differences between ethnicities will decline after this age. Living in the USA for a longer time can influence the trend in BMI among immigrants.