Stress and central adiposity: Does cumulative stress contribute to elevated risk of obesity among women of Detroit?

Background: Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in obesity contribute to excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and some cancers among Black and Latino women in the U.S. Evidence suggests that exposure to stressful life experiences over the lifecourse may be associated with central adiposity, or a tendency for excess fat to locate in the abdominal area. The experiences of women with varying socioeconomic statuses, racial backgrounds, and histories in the U.S. may contribute to differential exposure to multiple stressors. In this analysis, we examine whether the influence of multiple stressors explains racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences in central adiposity among women living in Detroit. Methods: We use linear regression models to examine relationships between multiple measures of stress and waist circumference, as a measure of central adiposity, among White, Black and Latino women. Sample: The Healthy Environments Partnerships (HEP) Community Survey is a stratified two-stage probability sample of occupied housing units in Detroit, MI conducted in 2002. A total of 919 face-to-face interviews were completed with White, Black, and Latino adults aged 25 or older, of which 632 are female. Results: Preliminary analysis shows that mean waist circumference was significantly different (p=.02) for women above and below the poverty line. Significant differences in waist circumference (p=.04) between African American and Latino women were reduced when household poverty was included in the model (p=.052). As a next step, we will examine whether racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences are partially explained by the effect of multiple stressors.