Racial Discrimination and Low Household Education Predict Higher Body Mass Index in African American Youth

Devin S. Nelson, Julia M. Gerras, Kellye C. McGlumphy, Erika R. Shaver, Amaanat K. Gill, Kamala Kanneganti, Tiwaloluwa A. Ajibewa, Rebecca E. Hasson*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between environmental factors, including household education, community violence exposure, racial discrimination, and cultural identity, and BMI in African American adolescents. Methods: A community-based sample of 198 African American youth (120 girls, 78 boys; ages 11-19 years) from Washtenaw County, Michigan, were included in this analysis. Violence exposure was assessed by using the Survey of Children's Exposure to Community Violence; racial discrimination by using the Adolescent Discrimination Distress Index; cultural identity by using the Acculturation, Habits, and Interests Multicultural Scale for Adolescents; and household education by using a seven-category variable. Measured height and body weight were used to calculate BMI. Results: Racial discrimination was positively associated with BMI, whereas household education was inversely associated with BMI in African American adolescents (discrimination: β = 0.11 ± 0.04, p = 0.01; education: β = -1.13 ± 0.47, p = 0.02). These relationships were significant when accounting for the confounding effects of stress, activity, diet, and pubertal development. Significant gender interactions were observed with racial discrimination and low household education associated with BMI in girls only (discrimination: β = 0.16 ± 0.05, p = 0.003; education: β = -1.12 ± 0.55, p = 0.045). There were no significant relationships between culture, community violence exposure, and BMI (all p's > 0.05). Conclusion: Environmental factors, including racial discrimination and low household education, predicted higher BMI in African American adolescents, particularly among girls. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms by which these environmental factors increase obesity risk in African American youth.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)114-121
Number of pages8
JournalChildhood Obesity
Volume14
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2018

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Health & Culture Study team and Michigan Consulting for Statistics, Computing and Analytics Research. They are also grateful to their study participants and their families for their involvement. This work was supported by the University of Michigan Office of Research and the University of Michigan School of Public Health Momentum Center. Clinical Trial Registration: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (No. NCT02938663).

Keywords

  • adolescents
  • cultural identity
  • ethnicity
  • obesity
  • stress

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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