142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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310684
Weight Control Success among Overweight and Obese Women of Mexican-origin living in Mexico and the United States

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM

Sylvia Guendelman, PhD, LCSW , School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Martha Kaufer-Horwitz, DSc NC , Endocrinology and Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico, Mexico
Miranda Ritterman-Weintraub, PhD , Public Health Program, Touro University, Vallejo, CA
Objective.  Mexico and the US have the highest obesity rates worldwide. Little is known about weight control success that could curb obesity in the Mexican-origin population in both countries.  We assessed differences in weight control success within the past year and its association with body fat patterning and weight perception among healthy overweight and obese Mexican American (MA) women and women in Mexico (WIMX).

Methods. We used two nationally representative samples, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2008) (n=504)and the 2006 National Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey (n=4,865).  Weight control success was defined  as maintaining or losing weight versus gaining weight and as the continuous weight change over the past year. Linear regressions modeled the association of weight change with place, weight (overweight without and with abdominal obesity, and obese) and perceived weight. 

Results. Weight control success was attained by 73.4% and 71% of overweight without and with abdominal obesity and 61.7% of obese WIMX (p=0.001), and by 64.4% and 43.2% of overweight without and with abdominal obesity, and by 46.5% of obese MAs (p <0.05). Patterns persisted when controlling for covariates.

Conclusions. WIMX were more likely than MA women to attain weight control success.  Fewer WIMX had abdominal or overall obesity which may partially explain weight control success disparities. In both countries, women who misperceived versus accurately perceived their weight were more likely to attain weight control success. Public health interventions should target overweight women before they develop abdominal or full-body obesity since they are more successful at controlling weight.

 

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Compare the pursuit of weight control success among overweight and obese Mexican-origin women living in the United States (US) and Mexico, using nationally representative survey data. Assess the association between weight control success and body fat patterning and weight perceptions among women living in these two countries. Identify bi-national strategies targeting the Mexican-origin population living in Mexico and the US that can help to curb the obesity epidemic.

Keyword(s): Chronic Disease Management and Care, Health Disparities/Inequities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Co-Principal Investigator of this study focusing on weight control among overweight and obese women in Mexico and Mexican-origin women in the United States. This study seeks to understand the social and cultural determinants of overweight among adults, including place of residence. Evidence from this study helps to identify best binational public health strategies to reinforce weight control behaviors and help to curb the obesity epidemic among Latinos.
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.