Overweight/obesity among social network members has an inverse relationship with Baltimore public housing residents' BMI

Kimberly A. Gudzune; Jennifer Peyton; Craig Evan Pollack; J. Hunter Young; David M. Levine; Carl A. Latkin; Jeanne M. Clark

Preventive Medicine Reports (Jun 2019)

Overweight/obesity among social network members has an inverse relationship with Baltimore public housing residents' BMI

Kimberly A. Gudzune,
Jennifer Peyton,
Craig Evan Pollack,
J. Hunter Young,
David M. Levine,
Carl A. Latkin,
Jeanne M. Clark

Affiliations

Kimberly A. Gudzune: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Corresponding author at: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2024 E. Monument St, Room 2-621, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
Jennifer Peyton: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Craig Evan Pollack: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
J. Hunter Young: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
David M. Levine: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
Carl A. Latkin: Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
Jeanne M. Clark: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14

Abstract

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The American Heart Association has encouraged networks research focused on cardiovascular disease and its risk factors, such as obesity. However, little network research has focused on minorities or low-income populations. Our objective was to characterize the relationship between body mass index (BMI) with social network overweight/obesity among public housing residents in Baltimore, MD - a predominantly black, low-income group. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected public housing residences (8/2014–8/2015). Adults had their height and weight measured and reported their network members' weight statuses using pictograms. Our dependent variable was respondents' BMI, and independent variable was perceived exposure to overweight/obesity in the social network. We also explored network exposure to overweight/obesity among 1) family members and 2) friends. We used multivariable linear regression adjusted for significant covariates. Our sample included 255 adults with mean age of 44.4 years, 85.5% women, 95.7% black, and mean BMI of 33.2 kg/m2. Most network members were overweight/obese (56.1%). For every 1% increase in network exposure to overweight/obesity, individuals' BMI decreased by 0.05 kg/m2 (p = 0.06). As network exposure to overweight/obesity among friends increased, individuals' BMI significantly decreased by 0.06 kg/m2 (p = 0.04). There was no significant relationship between BMI and network exposure to overweight/obesity among family members. In conclusion, among Baltimore public housing residents, a statistically significant, inverse association existed between individuals' BMI and overweight/obesity among friends in their social networks. Our results differ from relationships seen in prior studies of other populations, which may be due to racial and/or contextual differences between studies. Keywords: Overweight, African American, Socioeconomics, Social support

Published in Preventive Medicine Reports

ISSN: 2211-3355 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-medicine-reports/

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