MPC Member Publications

This database contains a listing of population studies publications written by MPC Members. Anyone can add a publication by an MPC student, faculty, or staff member to this database; new citations will be reviewed and approved by MPC administrators.

Full Citation

Title: Interpersonal Discrimination, Neighborhood Inequities, and Children's Body Mass Index: A Descriptive, Cross-Sectional Analysis

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2023

ISSN: 1550-5057

DOI: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000372

PMID: 37696014

Abstract: <p> Psychosocial stressors have been implicated in childhood obesity, but the role of racism-related stressors is less clear. This study explored associations between neighborhood inequities, discrimination/harassment, and child body mass index (BMI). Parents of children aged 5-9 years from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds (n = 1307), completed surveys of their child's exposure to discrimination/harassment. Census tract data derived from addresses were used to construct an index of concentration at the extremes, a measure of neighborhood social polarization. Child's height and weight were obtained from medical records. Multiple regression and hierarchical models examined child's BMI and racism at the individual and census tract levels. Children residing in the most Black-homogenous census tracts had 8.2 percentage units higher BMI percentile (95% confidence interval, 1.5-14.9) compared with white-homogenous tracts ( <italic toggle="yes">P</italic> = .03). Household income and home values were lower, poverty rates higher, and single parent households more common among Black-homogeneous census tracts. Almost 30% of children experienced discrimination/harassment in the past year, which was associated with a 5.28-unit higher BMI percentile (95% confidence interval, 1.72-8.84; <italic toggle="yes">P</italic> = .004). Discrimination and racial/economic segregation were correlated with higher child BMI. Longitudinal studies are needed to understand whether these factors may be related to weight gain trajectories and future health. </p>

Url: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37696014/

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Kunin-Batson, Alicia; Carr, Christopher; Tate, Allan; Trofholz, Amanda; Troy, Michael F.; Hardeman, Rachel; Berge, Jerica M.

Periodical (Full): Family & community health

Issue: Suppl 1

Volume: 46

Pages: S30-S40

Countries:

IPUMS NHGIS NAPP IHIS ATUS Terrapop