TY - JOUR
T1 - Greater social cohesion is associated with lower body mass index among African American adults
AU - Cuevas, Adolfo G.
AU - Kawachi, Ichiro
AU - Ortiz, Kasim
AU - Pena, Mariam
AU - Reitzel, Lorraine R.
AU - McNeill, Lorna H.
N1 - Funding Information:
The development of the manuscript was partially supported by Cancer Disparities Research Network/Geographic Management Program (GMaP) Region 4 funded by 3 P30 CA006927-52S2 and CTSI Mentored Career Development Award (KL2 TR002545 to AGC). Additional support to complete the current manuscript was supported by the National Cancer Institute (1P20CA221697-02 to LRR, 1P20CA221696-02 to LHM).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s)
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Obesity remains a public health issue, especially for Blacks (or African Americans). Obesity is thought to reflect a complex interaction of socioenvironmental, biological, and cognitive factors. Yet, insufficient attention has been given to psychosocial factors like social cohesion within the African American community. Using multivariable linear regression, we examined the association between social cohesion, measured by the Social Cohesion and Trust scale, and body mass index (BMI) with cross-sectional data (n = 1467) from a cohort study (2008–2009). Greater social cohesion was associated with lower BMI (b = -0.88; 95% CI: −1.45, −0.32) in an unadjusted model. The association was strengthened after further adjusting for relevant covariates (i.e., individual-level sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and depressive symptoms) (b = -1.26; 95% CI: −1.94, −0.58). Future research should examine potential mechanisms underlying the association between social cohesion and BMI with longitudinal data. In the meantime, obesity prevention and intervention measures should consider promoting social ties and bonds to lower BMI in African American communities.
AB - Obesity remains a public health issue, especially for Blacks (or African Americans). Obesity is thought to reflect a complex interaction of socioenvironmental, biological, and cognitive factors. Yet, insufficient attention has been given to psychosocial factors like social cohesion within the African American community. Using multivariable linear regression, we examined the association between social cohesion, measured by the Social Cohesion and Trust scale, and body mass index (BMI) with cross-sectional data (n = 1467) from a cohort study (2008–2009). Greater social cohesion was associated with lower BMI (b = -0.88; 95% CI: −1.45, −0.32) in an unadjusted model. The association was strengthened after further adjusting for relevant covariates (i.e., individual-level sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and depressive symptoms) (b = -1.26; 95% CI: −1.94, −0.58). Future research should examine potential mechanisms underlying the association between social cohesion and BMI with longitudinal data. In the meantime, obesity prevention and intervention measures should consider promoting social ties and bonds to lower BMI in African American communities.
KW - African Americans
KW - Disparities
KW - Obesity
KW - Social cohesion
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101098
DO - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101098
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85083888720
SN - 2211-3355
VL - 18
JO - Preventive Medicine Reports
JF - Preventive Medicine Reports
M1 - 101098
ER -