Abstract
Hispanic/Latino youth are disproportionately affected by obesity. However, how social factors outside of the family relate to Hispanic/Latino youth obesity is not well understood. We examined associations of extra-familial social factors with overweight/obesity prevalence, and their variation by sex and age, in 1444 Study of Latino Youth participants [48.6% female; 43.4% children (8–11 years); 56.6% adolescents (12–16 years)], who were offspring of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos participants. Youth self-reported general social support from friends, dietary-, and physical activity (PA)-specific support from peers, and awareness/internalization of thinness ideals. Overweight/obesity was defined as body mass index ≥ 85th percentile. Logistic regression models assessed effects of social factors and their interactions with age-group and sex, adjusting for potential confounders. Social support from friends interacted with both age and sex in relation to overweight/obesity. Female children who reported lesser (OR 0.60; 95% CI [0.39, 0.91]) and female adolescents who reported greater (OR 1.35; 95% CI [1.06, 1.74]) social support from friends had higher odds of overweight/obesity. Among males, greater awareness/internalization of thinness ideals related to higher odds of overweight/obesity (OR 2.30; 95% CI [1.59, 3.31]). Awareness/internalization of thinness ideals was not associated with overweight/obesity among females. Dietary and PA-specific peer support did not relate to overweight/obesity. Social support from friends and awareness/internalization of thinness ideals were significantly related to odds of overweight/obesity in Hispanic/Latino youth; associations varied by age and sex, and persisted after control for intra-familial factors (overall family support/function; diet and activity specific support).
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Acknowledgements
The SOL Youth Study was supported by Grant Number R01HL102130 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The youth participants are drawn from the study of adults: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, which was supported by contracts from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to the University of North Carolina (N01-HC65233), University of Miami (N01-HC65234), Albert Einstein College of Medicine (N01-HC65235), Northwestern University (N01-HC65236), and San Diego State University (N01-HC65237). The following Institutes/Centers/Offices contribute to the HCHS/SOL through a transfer of funds to the NHLBI: National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the Office of Dietary Supplements. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute or the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funders.
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Julia I. Bravin, Angela P. Gutierrez, Jessica L. McCurley, Scott C. Roesch, Carmen R. Isasi, Alan M. Delamater, Krista M. Perreira, Linda Van Horn, Sheila F. Castañeda, Elizabeth R. Pulgaron, Gregory A. Talavera, Martha L. Daviglus, Maria Lopez-Class, Donglin Zeng, and Linda C. Gallo declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Bravin, J.I., Gutierrez, A.P., McCurley, J.L. et al. Extra-familial social factors and obesity in the Hispanic Community Children’s Health Study/Study of Latino Youth. J Behav Med 42, 947–959 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00022-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00022-7