Racial/Ethnic, Socioeconomic, and Behavioral Determinants of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in the United States: Analyzing Independent and Joint Associations

Singh, Gopal K.; Kogan, Michael D.; Van Dyck, Peter C.; Siahpush, Mohammad

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2008.05.001

« Previous Next »Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 18, Issue 9 , Pages 682-695, September 2008

Racial/Ethnic, Socioeconomic, and Behavioral Determinants of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in the United States: Analyzing Independent and Joint Associations

Gopal K. Singh, PhD
- From the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD
- Address correspondence to Gopal K. Singh, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18-41, Rockville, MD 20857. Tel.: (301) 443-0765; fax: (301) 443-9354.
Michael D. Kogan, PhD
- From the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD
Peter C. Van Dyck, MD, MPH
- From the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD
Mohammad Siahpush, PhD
- Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha

Received 30 July 2007; accepted 11 May 2008.

Purpose

This study examines independent and joint associations between several socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral characteristics and obesity prevalence among 46,707 children aged 10–17 years in the United States.

Methods

The 2003 National Survey of Children's Health was used to calculate obesity prevalence. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds of obesity and adjusted prevalence.

Results

Ethnic minority status, non-metropolitan residence, lower socioeconomic status (SES) and social capital, higher television viewing, and higher physical inactivity levels were all independently associated with higher obesity prevalence. Adjusted obesity prevalence varied by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and SES. Compared with affluent white children, the odds of obesity were 2.7, 1.9 and 3.2 times higher for the poor Hispanic, white, and black children, respectively. Hispanic, white, and black children watching television 3 hours or more per day had 1.8, 1.9, and 2.5 times higher odds of obesity than white children who watched television less than 1 hour/day, respectively. Poor children with a sedentary lifestyle had 3.7 times higher odds of obesity than their active, affluent counterparts (adjusted prevalence, 19.8% vs. 6.7%).

Conclusions

Race/ethnicity, SES, and behavioral factors are independently related to childhood and adolescent obesity. Joint effects by gender, race/ethnicity, and SES indicate the potential for considerable reduction in the existing disparities in childhood obesity in the United States.

Key words: Childhood and Adolescent Obesity, Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, Social Capital, Neighborhood Safety, Television Viewing, Physical Activity, United States

Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms: SES, socioeconomic status, PA, physical activity, NSCH, National Survey of Children's Health, NCHS, National Center for Health Statistics, BMI, body mass index, NHANES, National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey

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The views expressed are the authors’ and not necessarily those of the Health Resources and Services Administration or the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Conflicts of interest: None.

PII: S1047-2797(08)00112-9

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2008.05.001

« Previous Next »Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 18, Issue 9 , Pages 682-695, September 2008

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