Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures
The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, and disparities by race, ethnicity, and gender, have caused concern among public health practitioners, health care providers, and others, in part because overweight and obesity may be linked to chronic health problems and weig...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | SSM: Population Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827322002762 |
| _version_ | 1811201769540157440 |
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| author | Margaret Gough Courtney Alyssa Carroll |
| author_facet | Margaret Gough Courtney Alyssa Carroll |
| author_sort | Margaret Gough Courtney |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, and disparities by race, ethnicity, and gender, have caused concern among public health practitioners, health care providers, and others, in part because overweight and obesity may be linked to chronic health problems and weight stigma. Researchers have traditionally relied upon body mass index (BMI) as a measure of overweight and obesity, despite its limitations. In this study we apply an intersectional framework and use data from the 2011–2018 waves of the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to study sex differences in the risk of overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans, triangulating three measures that proxy for overweight and obesity: BMI, high waist circumference, and high percent body fat. We assess heterogeneity across nativity, education, income by parenthood status, food security, time in the United States (for immigrants), and receipt of SNAP/WIC benefits (for the low-income sample). Results from logistic regression models indicate choice of cutoff values and measure are critical to determining whether sex disparities exist. We find no evidence of disparities in BMI but evidence of greater risk for females using traditional cutoff values for high waist circumference and high percent body fat. Adjusted cutoff values provide differing results. Minimal heterogeneity is seen. Results reinforce the importance of considering sex disparities and emphasize the importance of critically examining measures that proxy for overweight and obesity risk, given the high stakes surrounding weight stigma. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:27:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1c3504f060034aa784aad3f6d590c963 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-8273 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:27:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SSM: Population Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c3504f060034aa784aad3f6d590c9632022-12-22T03:51:55ZengElsevierSSM: Population Health2352-82732022-12-0120101297Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measuresMargaret Gough Courtney0Alyssa Carroll1Corresponding author. Department of Sociology/Anthropology, 1950 Third St., La Verne, CA, 91750, USA.; University of La Verne, USAUniversity of La Verne, USAThe increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, and disparities by race, ethnicity, and gender, have caused concern among public health practitioners, health care providers, and others, in part because overweight and obesity may be linked to chronic health problems and weight stigma. Researchers have traditionally relied upon body mass index (BMI) as a measure of overweight and obesity, despite its limitations. In this study we apply an intersectional framework and use data from the 2011–2018 waves of the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to study sex differences in the risk of overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans, triangulating three measures that proxy for overweight and obesity: BMI, high waist circumference, and high percent body fat. We assess heterogeneity across nativity, education, income by parenthood status, food security, time in the United States (for immigrants), and receipt of SNAP/WIC benefits (for the low-income sample). Results from logistic regression models indicate choice of cutoff values and measure are critical to determining whether sex disparities exist. We find no evidence of disparities in BMI but evidence of greater risk for females using traditional cutoff values for high waist circumference and high percent body fat. Adjusted cutoff values provide differing results. Minimal heterogeneity is seen. Results reinforce the importance of considering sex disparities and emphasize the importance of critically examining measures that proxy for overweight and obesity risk, given the high stakes surrounding weight stigma.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827322002762Body compositionSexImmigrantFood securityCenters for Disease Control and PreventionNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey |
| spellingShingle | Margaret Gough Courtney Alyssa Carroll Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures SSM: Population Health Body composition Sex Immigrant Food security Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey |
| title | Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures |
| title_full | Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures |
| title_fullStr | Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures |
| title_short | Sex differences in overweight and obesity among Mexican Americans in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: A comparison of measures |
| title_sort | sex differences in overweight and obesity among mexican americans in the national health and nutrition examination survey a comparison of measures |
| topic | Body composition Sex Immigrant Food security Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827322002762 |
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