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The College Health and Wellness Study: Baseline Correlates of Overweight among African Americans

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Abstract

Overweight and obesity are epidemic in the United States, particularly among minority populations. This epidemic contributes to the development of chronic conditions that occur later in life such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Therefore, it is important to identify factors associated with the development of obesity during young adulthood. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among students graduating from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participants were 392 predominantly African American seniors graduating in the spring of 2003. Data were collected using a self-administered paper and pencil questionnaire which focused on weight, weight management activities, individual and familial weight history, and health status indicators. Participants were on average 24 ± 5 years of age and 69% female; over 90% identified as African American or Black. According to NIH guidelines, about 30% of males and 28% of females were considered overweight, 12% of males and 7% of females were considered obese, and 7% of males and females were considered extremely obese. Significant correlates of being more overweight were being married, having children, lower socio-economic status, weight-loss attempts, personal and family history of overweight, and poorer health status. These data suggest that among this sample, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is similar to other populations of young African American adults. Familial factors such as socio-economic status and family weight history were important correlates of overweight. Overweight is a significant problem in this population, and these data should be useful for developing weight loss interventions aimed at young adults.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Yvonne Bronner, Connye Kuratko, Shaquana Divers, Kia Tolson, Terry Sears, Edna Green, and Donna Baird for their help with the planning for the study, data collection, and data entry. We also thank the college students whose cooperation made this research possible.

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) (1P60MD000214-01, 5P60MD00217-02, U24DA12390-04).

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  1. 615 N. Wolfe St. Rm E6531, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Tiffany L. Gary

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  1. Tiffany L. Gary
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  2. Susan M. Gross
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  3. Dorothy C. Browne
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  4. Thomas A. LaVeist
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tiffany L. Gary.

Additional information

Gary is with the Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Gross and Browne are with the Public Health Program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA; LaVeist is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Gary, Gross, Browne, and LaVeist are with the Morgan-Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.

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Gary, T.L., Gross, S.M., Browne, D.C. et al. The College Health and Wellness Study: Baseline Correlates of Overweight among African Americans. JURH 83, 253–265 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-005-9026-1

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