Health Behaviors, Built Environment, and Weight Gain across Immigrant Generations

• In Event: 480 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03. Nativity and Health

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which changes in health behaviors and neighborhood contexts account for weight gain across immigrant generational status. Using The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we address the following questions: (1) Does weight gain vary by immigrant generation? (2) How do changes in health behaviors and neighborhood characteristics affect the association between generational status and weight gain? and (3) Is the association between neighborhood characteristics and weight gain moderated by racial/ethnic immigrant generational status? Health advantages are observed for first- and second-generations when controlling for relevant factors including race/ethnicity. In addition, changes in health behaviors and neighborhood contexts do not fully explain the immigrant generational advantage in weight gain, although factors such as sedentary behavior and neighborhood disadvantage influence weight gain as expected. Finally, the effect of the social and built environment on weight gain varies by the combination of race/ethnicity and generational status.

Author

• Antwan Jones, The George Washington University