Neighborhood Immigrant Composition and Body Mass Index in New York City
Author Information
Author(s): Yoosun Park, Kathryn M. Neckerman, James Quinn, Christopher Weiss, Andrew Rundle
Primary Institution: Columbia University
Hypothesis
Individuals settling in immigrant neighborhoods may maintain home country dietary and physical activity patterns, affecting their BMI.
Conclusion
Acculturation is associated with weight gain, particularly among Hispanics, while neighborhood characteristics have a limited impact on BMI.
Supporting Evidence
- Foreign birth was associated with a significantly lower BMI.
- Increasing duration of residence in the U.S. was significantly associated with higher BMI.
- Neighborhood linguistic isolation was inversely associated with BMI among Hispanics.
Takeaway
People who move to the U.S. may gain weight over time, but living in neighborhoods with others from their home country can help them keep their old eating habits.
Methodology
Multilevel analyses using height, weight, diet, and physical activity data from a health survey.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data and classification of Puerto Ricans as foreign-born.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 33% foreign-born individuals, with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
(-1.37, -0.81)
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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