IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v280y2021ics0277953621003518.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is a ‘culture of plus-size women’ the independent effect of neighborhood disadvantage on female BMI? A cross-sectional study in two Chilean Municipalities

Author

Listed:
  • Robinovich, Jossiana
  • Bosma, Hans
  • Borne, Bart van der
  • Ossa, Ximena
  • Muñoz, Sergio
  • Krumeich, Anja

Abstract

Research has shown that neighborhood disadvantage has an effect on BMI that is independent of individual disadvantage, much more pronounced in women than in men. The mechanisms that explain this gender-specific effect are not yet clear. Since women's body size dissatisfaction is closely linked to gender differences in BMI inequalities, the independent effect of neighborhood disadvantage on female BMI may relate to a local culture of acceptance of female large bodies, that could influence women's parameters for body size dissatisfaction. This study explored how the relation between female BMI, neighborhood income, individual income and education is influenced by body size dissatisfaction in a random sample of 882 women aged 20–60 that reside in two Chilean Municipalities. Data have a two level structure (women nested in 17 neighborhoods); it was collected by direct survey, height and weight were measured with portable instruments. Disadvantaged neighborhoods house mainly poor and low educated women, whereas the wealthier ones were inhabited mostly by affluent women with postsecondary education. The proportion of women without a husband/partner and with more than three children in disadvantaged neighborhoods was higher than better off areas. Multilevel linear regression showed that neighborhood disadvantage had an effect on female BMI that was independent of women's income and education, which was explained by body size dissatisfaction. The mean BMI for body size satisfaction among women in disadvantaged neighborhoods was 2 kg/m2 higher than in affluent areas, which suggests that a ‘culture of plus-size women’ would emerge in urban clusters of poverty. The findings signal that neighborhood effects on BMI would relate to the socioeconomic polarization of urban areas, with marked concentrations of poverty and wealth, and might be explained by the psychosocial pathways associated to social disadvantage that act in addition to the effects of material conditions to influence people's health.

Suggested Citation

  • Robinovich, Jossiana & Bosma, Hans & Borne, Bart van der & Ossa, Ximena & Muñoz, Sergio & Krumeich, Anja, 2021. "Is a ‘culture of plus-size women’ the independent effect of neighborhood disadvantage on female BMI? A cross-sectional study in two Chilean Municipalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:280:y:2021:i:c:s0277953621003518
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114019
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953621003518
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114019?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oakes, J. Michael, 2004. "The (mis)estimation of neighborhood effects: causal inference for a practicable social epidemiology," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(10), pages 1929-1952, May.
    2. Matheson, Flora I. & Moineddin, Rahim & Glazier, Richard H., 2008. "The weight of place: A multilevel analysis of gender, neighborhood material deprivation, and body mass index among Canadian adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 675-690, February.
    3. Sobal, Jeffery & Rauschenbach, Barbara & Frongillo, Edward A., 2003. "Marital status changes and body weight changes: a US longitudinal analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(7), pages 1543-1555, April.
    4. Hannah Ameye & Johan Swinnen, 2019. "Obesity, Income and Gender: The Changing Global Relationship," LICOS Discussion Papers 41519, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    5. Harrington, Daniel W. & Elliott, Susan J., 2009. "Weighing the importance of neighbourhood: A multilevel exploration of the determinants of overweight and obesity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 593-600, February.
    6. Krieger, N. & Waterman, P.D. & Spasojevic, J. & Li, W. & Maduro, G. & Van Wye, G., 2016. "Public health monitoring of privilege and deprivation with the index of concentration at the extremes," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(2), pages 256-263.
    7. Joe Beswick & Walter Imilan & Patricia Olivera, 2019. "Access to housing in the neoliberal era: a new comparativist analysis of the neoliberalisation of access to housing in Santiago and London," International Journal of Housing Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 288-310, July.
    8. Muennig, P. & Lubetkin, E. & Jia, H. & Franks, P., 2006. "Gender and the burden of disease attributable to obesity," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(9), pages 1662-1668.
    9. Arcaya, Mariana C. & Tucker-Seeley, Reginald D. & Kim, Rockli & Schnake-Mahl, Alina & So, Marvin & Subramanian, S.V., 2016. "Research on neighborhood effects on health in the United States: A systematic review of study characteristics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 16-29.
    10. Wells, Jonathan C.K. & Marphatia, Akanksha A. & Cole, Tim J. & McCoy, David, 2012. "Associations of economic and gender inequality with global obesity prevalence: Understanding the female excess," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 482-490.
    11. Rundle, Andrew & Field, Sam & Park, Yoosun & Freeman, Lance & Weiss, Christopher C. & Neckerman, Kathryn, 2008. "Personal and neighborhood socioeconomic status and indices of neighborhood walk-ability predict body mass index in New York City," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 1951-1958, December.
    12. Joe Beswick & Walter Imilan & Patricia Olivera, 2019. "Access to housing in the neoliberal era: a new comparativist analysis of the neoliberalisation of access to housing in Santiago and London," European Journal of Housing Policy, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 288-310, July.
    13. Robert Brooks & Alexei Maklakov, 2010. "Sex Differences in Obesity Associated with Total Fertility Rate," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(5), pages 1-4, May.
    14. Singh-Manoux, Archana & Marmot, Michael, 2005. "Role of socialization in explaining social inequalities in health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(9), pages 2129-2133, May.
    15. McLaren, Lindsay & Kuh, Diana, 2004. "Women's body dissatisfaction, social class, and social mobility," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(9), pages 1575-1584, May.
    16. Marion Devaux & Franco Sassi & Jody Church & Michele Cecchini & Francesca Borgonovi, 2011. "Exploring the Relationship Between Education and Obesity," OECD Journal: Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2011(1), pages 1-40.
    17. Cannuscio, Carolyn C. & Hillier, Amy & Karpyn, Allison & Glanz, Karen, 2014. "The social dynamics of healthy food shopping and store choice in an urban environment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 13-20.
    18. Robinovich, Jossiana & Ossa, Ximena & Baeza, Bernardita & Krumeich, Anja & van der Borne, Bart, 2018. "Embodiment of social roles and thinness as a form of capital: A qualitative approach towards understanding female obesity disparities in Chile," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 80-86.
    19. Averett, Susan L. & Sikora, Asia & Argys, Laura M., 2008. "For better or worse: Relationship status and body mass index," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 330-349, December.
    20. Paquette, M.-C.Marie-Claude & Raine, Kim, 2004. "Sociocultural context of women's body image," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(5), pages 1047-1058, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Susan Averett & Laura Argys & Julia Sorkin, 2013. "In sickness and in health: an examination of relationship status and health using data from the Canadian National Public Health Survey," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 599-633, December.
    2. Alejandra Reyes & Patricia Basile, 2022. "The Distinctive Evolution Of Housing Financialization In Brazil And Mexico," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(6), pages 933-953, November.
    3. Clark, Andrew E. & Etilé, Fabrice, 2011. "Happy house: Spousal weight and individual well-being," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 1124-1136.
    4. Wilson, Sven E., 2012. "Marriage, gender and obesity in later life," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 431-453.
    5. Boylan, Jennifer Morozink & Robert, Stephanie A., 2017. "Neighborhood SES is particularly important to the cardiovascular health of low SES individuals," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 60-68.
    6. Bellido, Héctor & Marcén, Miriam, 2016. "On the relationship between BMI and marital dissolution," MPRA Paper 73868, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Feuillet, T. & Valette, J.F. & Charreire, H. & Kesse-Guyot, E. & Julia, C. & Vernez-Moudon, A. & Hercberg, S. & Touvier, M. & Oppert, J.M., 2020. "Influence of the urban context on the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and obesity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    8. Wang, Chih-Hao & Chen, Na, 2017. "A geographically weighted regression approach to investigating the spatially varied built-environment effects on community opportunity," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 136-147.
    9. Antonio Boing & S. Subramanian, 2015. "The influence of area-level education on body mass index, waist circumference and obesity according to gender," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(6), pages 727-736, September.
    10. Zandile June-Rose Mchiza & Whadi-Ah Parker & Muhammad Zakir Hossin & Amy Heshmati & Demetre Labadarios & Daniel Falkstedt & Ilona Koupil, 2019. "Social and Psychological Predictors of Body Mass Index among South Africans 15 Years and Older: SANHANES-1," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-20, October.
    11. Aránzazu Hernández-Yumar & Maria Wemrell & Ignacio Abásolo Alessón & Beatriz González López-Valcárcel & George Leckie & Juan Merlo, 2018. "Socioeconomic differences in body mass index in Spain: An intersectional multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-23, December.
    12. Jennifer B. Kane & Claire Margerison-Zilko, 2017. "Theoretical Insights into Preconception Social Conditions and Perinatal Health: The Role of Place and Social Relationships," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(5), pages 639-669, October.
    13. Michael R. Kramer & Eric B. Schneider & Jennifer B. Kane & Claire Margerison-Zilko & Jessica Jones-Smith & Katherine King & Pamela Davis-Kean & Joseph G. Grzywacz, 2017. "Getting Under the Skin: Children’s Health Disparities as Embodiment of Social Class," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(5), pages 671-697, October.
    14. Maruyama, Shiko & Nakamura, Sayaka, 2018. "Why are women slimmer than men in developed countries?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 1-13.
    15. Kazuma Sato, 2021. "Relationship between marital status and body mass index in Japan," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 813-841, September.
    16. William H. Greene & Mark N. Harris & Bruce Hollingworth & Pushkar Maitra, 2008. "A Bivariate Latent Class Correlated Generalized Ordered Probit Model with an Application to Modeling Observed Obesity Levels," Working Papers 08-18, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    17. Nagata, Jason M. & Valeggia, Claudia R. & Barg, Frances K. & Bream, Kent D.W., 2009. "Body mass index, socio-economic status and socio-behavioral practices among Tz'utujil Maya women," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 96-106, March.
    18. Heather Brown, 2016. "Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Correlation in BMI Categories in Long-Term Relationships," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 49(4), pages 453-470, December.
    19. Sonia Oreffice & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2012. "A Matter of Weight? The Role of Spouses. Physical Attractiveness on Hours of Work," CHILD Working Papers Series 7, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    20. Cornelie Nienaber-Rousseau & Olusola F. Sotunde & Patricia O. Ukegbu & P. Hermanus Myburgh & Hattie H. Wright & Lize Havemann-Nel & Sarah J. Moss & Iolanthé M. Kruger & H. Salomé Kruger, 2017. "Socio-Demographic and Lifestyle Factors Predict 5-Year Changes in Adiposity among a Group of Black South African Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:280:y:2021:i:c:s0277953621003518. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.