Abstract
Non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions such as obesity constitute significant public health issues in the United States (US) and globally. A major proximal determinant of obesity is physical activity, and related behavior. Limited data however exists comparing physical activity levels of US immigrants with those of native-born adults. This study aimed to compare US immigrants and native-born adults regarding associations of physical activity behavior and obesity. We analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey. Outcomes of interest were various indicators of physical activity. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were utilized in describing demographics, weight distribution, and associations between variables of interest. A total of 3,185 individuals participated in the survey. Male to female ratio was 1.6 and 17% of the participants were immigrants. The mean age was 51 years (SD ± 15) for immigrants and 55 years (SD ± 16) for native-born respondents. Among immigrants, the racial distribution was 55.3% Hispanic, 18.9% Asian, 14.7% White, 9.9% Black, and 1.3% other races. Immigrants were less likely than non-immigrants to spend 6 h or more a day on sedentary leisure activities (adjusted OR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42–0.97; p = 0.0350). Also, immigrants were more likely than non-immigrants to engage in physical activity of at least moderate intensity, at least once a week (adjusted OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.07–2.05; p = 0.0192). Compared to native-born adults, US immigrants appear to have healthier lifestyles regarding physical activity behavior. Strategies to sustain such tendencies among immigrants will promote health and reduce overall risks of obesity and other chronic diseases in the US. Researchers, practitioners and policy makers should develop targeted strategies and focus attention on keeping immigrants in the loop of positive health behavior, while encouraging US adults to engage in more physical activity. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of various socio-economic, demographic and cultural factors that impact proximal determinants of obesity.
Highlights
Obesity is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, resulting in enormous economic costs
A nationally representative sample of individuals in the United States (US) 18 years or older were surveyed in the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)
This analysis of the HINTS 4 cycle 3 dataset was conducted under Georgia State University Institutional Review Board (IRB)-exempted protocols
Summary
Obesity is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, resulting in enormous economic costs. In 2012, an estimated $190.2 billion (21% of annual US medical spending) was projected for obesity-related illnesses in the US (Cawley and Meyerhoefer, 2012). Numerous studies have explored factors related to the etiology of obesity. These factors have been broadly categorized into genetic, environmental and behavioral (Weinsier et al, 1998). Behavioral factors are lifestyle choices that either promote or prevent obesity and constitute part of the multifaceted proximal determinants of obesity. Balanced caloric intake and regular physical activity are among the well-recognized lifestyle choices that prevent overweight and obesity (American Heart Association Nutrition et al, 2006)
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