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Differential effect of birthplace and length of residence on body mass index (BMI) by education, gender and race/ethnicity

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  • Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V.
  • Kawachi, Ichiro
  • Subramanian, S.V.
  • Sánchez, Brisa N.
  • Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores

Abstract

Although birthplace and length of residence have been found to be associated with Body Mass Index (BMI)/obesity in the USA, their effects may not be the same across groups defined by education, gender and race/ethnicity. Using cross-sectional population based data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, we investigated the associations of birthplace and US length of residence with BMI, and whether the influence of birthplace-US length of residence on BMI varied by education, gender and race/ethnicity. Our sample included 37,350 adults aged 25-64 years. Self-reported weight and height were used to calculate BMI. Birthplace and length of residence were combined into a single variable divided into five levels: US-born, foreign-born living in the United States for more than 15, 10-14, 5-9, and less than 5 years. Controlling for age, gender, marital status, race/ethnicity, education, income, fruit and vegetable consumption, current smoking and alcohol use, we found that: (1) foreign-born adults had lower BMI than US-born adults; (2) among foreign-born adults, longer residence in the United States was associated with higher BMI; and (3) the effect of birthplace-length of US residence on BMI differed by education level, gender and race/ethnicity. Specifically, longer residence in the United States was associated with the greatest percent increases in BMI among the lowest educated groups than higher educated groups, among women (vs. men) and among Hispanics (vs. other racial/ethnic groups). These findings suggest that a protective effect of foreign birthplace on BMI appears to attenuate with length of residence in the United States, and also reveal that BMI/obesity trajectories associated with length of US residence vary by education, gender and race/ethnicity. Immigrant status, independently and in combination with education, gender and race/ethnicity should be considered in future obesity prevention and reduction efforts.

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  • Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V. & Kawachi, Ichiro & Subramanian, S.V. & Sánchez, Brisa N. & Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores, 2008. "Differential effect of birthplace and length of residence on body mass index (BMI) by education, gender and race/ethnicity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1300-1310, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:67:y:2008:i:8:p:1300-1310
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    2. Ullmann, S. Heidi & Goldman, Noreen & Pebley, Anne R., 2013. "Contextual factors and weight change over time: A comparison between U.S. Hispanics and other population sub-groups," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 40-48.
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    4. Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores & Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V. & Viruell-Fuentes, Edna A. & Almeida, Joanna, 2012. "Integrating social epidemiology into immigrant health research: A cross-national framework," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2060-2068.
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    7. Elena Rodriguez-Alvarez & Nerea Lanborena & Luisa N. Borrell, 2018. "Obesity Inequalities According to Place of Birth: The Role of Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-10, July.
    8. Bridget K. Gorman & Cynthia Novoa & Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, 2016. "Migration Decisions, Acculturation, and Overweight among Asian and Latino Immigrant Adults in the United States," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 728-757, September.
    9. Lee, Min-Ah, 2011. "Disparity in disability between native-born non-Hispanic white and foreign-born Asian older adults in the United States: Effects of educational attainment and age at immigration," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(8), pages 1249-1257, April.
    10. Liu, Jing & Waldorf, Brigitte S., 2012. "Moving To The Land Of Frosted Cakes And Fried Food: Immigrant Obesity In The U.S," Working papers 120896, Purdue University, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    11. Annie Ro, 2014. "The Longer You Stay, the Worse Your Health? A Critical Review of the Negative Acculturation Theory among Asian Immigrants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-20, August.
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    14. Ana Cristina Lindsay & Qun Le & Mary L. Greaney, 2017. "Infant Feeding Beliefs, Attitudes, Knowledge and Practices of Chinese Immigrant Mothers: An Integrative Review of the Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    15. Malmusi, Davide & Borrell, Carme & Benach, Joan, 2010. "Migration-related health inequalities: Showing the complex interactions between gender, social class and place of origin," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(9), pages 1610-1619, November.
    16. John, Dolly A. & de Castro, A.B. & Martin, Diane P. & Duran, Bonnie & Takeuchi, David T., 2012. "Does an immigrant health paradox exist among Asian Americans? Associations of nativity and occupational class with self-rated health and mental disorders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2085-2098.
    17. Mosi Adesina Ifatunji & Yanica Faustin & Wendy Lee & Deshira Wallace, 2022. "Black Nativity and Health Disparities: A Research Paradigm for Understanding the Social Determinants of Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-40, July.
    18. Santosh Jatrana & Ken Richardson & Samba Siva Rao Pasupuleti, 2018. "The Effect of Nativity, Duration of Residence, and Age at Arrival on Obesity: Evidence from an Australian Longitudinal Study," VID Working Papers 1811, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    19. Zia Choudhry & Sarojini M Sengupta & Natalie Grizenko & William J Harvey & Marie-Ève Fortier & Norbert Schmitz & Ridha Joober, 2013. "Body Weight and ADHD: Examining the Role of Self-Regulation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, January.
    20. Bousmah, Marwân-al-Qays & Combes, Jean-Baptiste Simon & Abu-Zaineh, Mohammad, 2019. "Health differentials between citizens and immigrants in Europe: A heterogeneous convergence," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(2), pages 235-243.
    21. Quandt, Sara A. & Grzywacz, Joseph G. & Trejo, Grisel & Arcury, Thomas A., 2014. "Nutritional strategies of Latino farmworker families with preschool children: Identifying leverage points for obesity prevention," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 72-81.
    22. Shervin Assari & Shanika Boyce & Mohsen Bazargan & Ron Mincy & Cleopatra H. Caldwell, 2019. "Unequal Protective Effects of Parental Educational Attainment on the Body Mass Index of Black and White Youth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-14, September.
    23. Daouli, Joan & Davillas, Apostolos & Demoussis, Michael & Giannakopoulos, Nicholas, 2013. "The determinants of body mass in Greece: Evidence from the National Health Survey," MPRA Paper 66392, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    24. Ro, Annie & Fleischer, Nancy, 2014. "Changes in health selection of obesity among Mexican immigrants: A binational examination," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 114-124.
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