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Weight gain trends across sociodemographic groups in the United States

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  • Truong, K.D.
  • Sturm, R.

Abstract

Objectives. To better understand health disparities, we compared US weight gain trends across sociodemographic groups between 1986 and 2002. Methods. We analyzed mean and 80th-percentile body mass index (BMI), calculated from self-reported weight and height, for subpopulations defined by education, relative income, race/ethnicity, and gender. Data were from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a random-digit-dialed telephone survey (total sample = 1.88 million adult respondents). Results. Each sociodemographic group experienced generally similar weight gains. We found no statistically significant difference in increase in mean BMI by educational attainment, except that individuals with a college degree gained less weight than did others. The lowest-income group gained as much weight on average as the highest-income group, but lowest-income heavier individuals (80th percentile of BMI) gained weight faster than highest-income heavier individuals. We found no differences across racial/ethnic groups except that non-Hispanic Blacks gained more weight than other groups. Women gained more weight than men. Conclusions. We found fewer differences, especially by relative income and education, in weight gain across subpopulations than we had expected. Women and non-Hispanic Blacks gained weight faster than other groups.

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  • Truong, K.D. & Sturm, R., 2005. "Weight gain trends across sociodemographic groups in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(9), pages 1602-1606.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2004.043935_4
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.043935
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    Cited by:

    1. Ljungvall, Åsa & Zimmerman, Frederick J., 2012. "Bigger bodies: Long-term trends and disparities in obesity and body-mass index among U.S. adults, 1960–2008," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 109-119.
    2. Drewnowski, Adam & D. Rehm, Colin & Solet, David, 2007. "Disparities in obesity rates: Analysis by ZIP code area," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(12), pages 2458-2463, December.
    3. Elizabeth Howlett & Cassandra Davis & Scot Burton, 2016. "From Food Desert to Food Oasis: The Potential Influence of Food Retailers on Childhood Obesity Rates," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(2), pages 215-224, December.
    4. Çiğdem Sabbağ, 2012. "Seasonal BMI Changes of Rural Women Living in Anatolia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-12, April.
    5. Ljungvall, Åsa, 2013. "The Freer the Fatter? A Panel Study of the Relationship between Body-Mass Index and Economic Freedom," Working Papers 2013:23, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    6. Natalie McGlynn & Victoria A Kirsh & Michelle Cotterchio & M Anne Harris & Victoria Nadalin & Nancy Kreiger, 2015. "Shift Work and Obesity among Canadian Women: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Novel Exposure Assessment Tool," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-13, September.
    7. Greves Grow, H. Mollie & Cook, Andrea J. & Arterburn, David E. & Saelens, Brian E. & Drewnowski, Adam & Lozano, Paula, 2010. "Child obesity associated with social disadvantage of children's neighborhoods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 584-591, August.
    8. Gomis-Porqueras, Pedro & Moslehi, Solmaz & Suen, Richard M.H., 2016. "The role of dietary choices and medical expenditures on health outcomes when health shocks are endogenous," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 13-25.

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