Racial-Ethnic Disparities in Obesity and Biological, Behavioral, and Sociocultural Influences in the United States: A Systematic Review
Jungwon Mina b, Hailee Goodaleb c, Hong Xued, Rebecca A. Breyc, Youfa Wangb c✉
- aDepartment of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- bSystems-Oriented Global Childhood Obesity Intervention Program, Fisher Institute of Health and Well-being, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA
- cDepartment of Nutrition and Health Science, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA
- dDepartment of Health Administration and Policy, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
For a comprehensive understanding of high-level obesity in the USA, we studied the trends of obesity prevalence since 2007, and related biological, behavioral, and sociocultural factors in obesity racial/ethnic disparities. We searched PubMed, Embase, and national data archives for the studies using national survey data and published in English from January 1, 2007 to September 11, 2020. Forty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were systematically reviewed. After a short leveling-off during 2009-2012, the US national prevalence of obesity has steadily increased. Although women had higher racial/ethnic disparities in obesity and severe obesity than men, it decreased due to the significant drop in non-Hispanic black (NHB) women in the last 10 y. However, obesity and severe obesity prevalence increased in Mexican-American (MA) men, MA boys, and MA girls and became similar to or surpassing NHB groups. Substantial racial/ethnic disparities remained in the past decade. Even at the same level of BMI, MAs and non-Hispanic Asians had a higher percent of body fat and metabolic syndrome than other ethnic/racial groups. NHB's cultural preference for a large body significantly associated weight misperception and lower weight control practices. In addition to socioeconomic status, health behaviors, neighborhood environments, and early childhood health factors explained substantial racial/ethnic differences in obesity. Differences in biological, behavioral, and sociocultural characteristics should be considered in future public health intervention efforts to combat obesity in the USA.
TL;DRAlthough women had higher racial/ethnic disparities in obesity and severe obesity than men, it decreased due to the significant drop in non-Hispanic black (NHB) women in the last 10 y, but obesity andsevere obesity prevalence increased in Mexican-American men, MA boys, and MA girls and became similar to or surpassing NHB groups. (Semantic Scholar)