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The Association of Religious Affiliation with Overweight/Obesity Among South Asians: The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study

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Abstract

Religiosity has been associated with greater body weight. Less is known about South Asian religions and associations with weight. Cross-sectional analysis of the MASALA study (n = 906). We examined associations between religious affiliation and overweight/obesity after controlling for age, sex, years lived in the USA, marital status, education, insurance status, health status, and smoking. We determined whether traditional cultural beliefs, physical activity, and dietary pattern mediated this association. The mean BMI was 26 kg/m2. Religious affiliation was associated with overweight/obesity for Hindus (OR 2.12; 95 % CI: 1.16, 3.89), Sikhs (OR 4.23; 95 % CI: 1.72, 10.38), and Muslims (OR 2.79; 95 % CI: 1.14, 6.80) compared with no religious affiliation. Traditional cultural beliefs (7 %), dietary pattern (1 %), and physical activity (1 %) mediated 9 % of the relationship. Interventions designed to promote healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the burden of overweight/obesity among South Asians need to be culturally and religiously tailored.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

MASALA:

Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America

USA:

United States of America

OR:

Odds ratio

CI:

Confidence interval

MESA:

Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

IRB:

Institutional review board

SHARE:

Study of Health Assessment and Risk in Ethnic groups

MET:

Metabolic equivalent of task

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Acknowledgments

The MASALA study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant R01HL093009 and R01HL120725. N. Bharmal received support from the University of California, Los Angeles, Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research Center for Health Improvement of Minority Elderly (RCMAR/CHIME NIH/NIA Grant Number P30-AG021684) and the Los Angeles Stroke Prevention and Intervention Research Program in Health Disparities (NIH/NINDS 1U54NS081764). W. McCarthy received support from National Institutes of Health Grant 1P50HL105188#6094.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RAND Corporation, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington, VA, 2202-5050, USA

    Nazleen H. Bharmal

  2. Department Cancer Prevention and Control Res/FSPH and JCCC, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, BOX 956900, A2-125 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6900, USA

    William J. McCarthy

  3. UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine, 1545 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA

    Meghana D. Gadgil

  4. Department of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Namratha R. Kandula

  5. UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine, 1545 Divisadero Street, Suite 311, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA

    Alka M. Kanaya

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  1. Nazleen H. Bharmal
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  2. William J. McCarthy
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Correspondence to Alka M. Kanaya.

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Bharmal, N.H., McCarthy, W.J., Gadgil, M.D. et al. The Association of Religious Affiliation with Overweight/Obesity Among South Asians: The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study. J Relig Health 57, 33–46 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0290-z

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