Income and Marital Status Interact on Obesity Among Black and White Men

Caryn N. Bell, Roland J. Thorpe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Racial disparities in obesity among men are accompanied by positive associations between income and obesity among Black men only. Race also moderates the positive association between marital status and obesity. This study sought to determine how race, income, and marital status interact on obesity among men. Using data from the 2007 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, obesity was measured as body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 among 6,145 Black and White men. Income was measured by percentage of the federal poverty line and marital status was categorized as currently, formerly, or never married. Using logistic regression and interaction terms, the associations between income and obesity were assessed by race and marital status categories adjusted for covariates. Black compared to White (OR = 1.19, 95% CI [1.03, 1.38]), currently married compared to never married (OR = 1.45, 95% CI [1.24, 1.69]), and high-income men compared to low income men (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.06, 1.50]) had higher odds of obesity. A three-way interaction was significant and analyses identified that income was positively associated with obesity among currently married Black men and never married White men with the highest and lowest probabilities of obesity, respectively. High-income, currently married Black men had higher obesity rates and may be at increased risk for obesity-related morbidities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalAmerican journal of men's health
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2019

Keywords

  • behavioral issues
  • marriage
  • men of color
  • obesity
  • psychosocial and cultural issues
  • special populations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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