A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Obesity Risk Reduction Behaviors and Demographic Factors among Chinese Americans

Doreen Liou

doi:10.23937/2572-4010.1510016

Abstract

The obesity epidemic is widely recognized as a salient health issue in the United States, affecting all races, ethnic and age groups including Chinese Americans. An increased risk for obesity-related diseases at lower body mass indexes magnify the urgency of investigating obesity related issues in this population. This cross-sectional study evaluated a convenience sample of 443 U.S.-born and foreign-born men and women aged 18 to 60 years who completed a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were recruited from academic, religious and cultural institutions, representing a span of educational backgrounds and socioeconomic status. Nineteen obesity risk reduction behaviors were measured along with psychosocial constructs derived from the Theory of Planned Behavior. Participants reported food behaviors over the previous month related to weight management, portion size control, consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods, physical activity, and stress management.

Highlights

The obesity epidemic is one of the greatest public health challenges in the world, affecting all population groups regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status [1]
Rates of obesity among Asian Americans are lower than other racial groups, obesity rates are increasing in this population, especially in younger generations born in the U.S [3]
This study examining psychosocial predictors of obesity risk reduction behaviors in Chinese Americans with sub-analyses based on age, gender, and country of origin residing in a large urban metropolitan area in the U.S revealed a number of important points

Summary

Introduction

The obesity epidemic is one of the greatest public health challenges in the world, affecting all population groups regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status [1]. Rates of obesity among Asian Americans are lower than other racial groups, obesity rates are increasing in this population, especially in younger generations born in the U.S [3]. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) is used to classify underweight, overweight, and obesity. A body mass index of 25 or above designates overweight and 30 and above signifies obesity [6]. Asians tend to have more body fat than whites at lower BMIs. Asians tend to accumulate excess body fat in the abdominal region increasing risk for weight-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, inflammation, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease [8,9]. The World Health Organization (WHO) offers lower cut-off values for overweight and obese Asians, ≥ 23 and ≥ 27.5 respectively [10]. The WHO recommends using traditional cut-off values when comparing population groups

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Conclusion