Obesogenic clusters: multidimensional adolescent obesity-related behaviors in the U.S.
BACKGROUND
Diet, physical activity, and psychosocial factors are independent and potentially interactive obesity determinants, but few studies have explored complex behavior patterns.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to examine obesity-related behavior patterning and identify high-risk adolescent groups.


METHODS
Cluster analysis identified groups with shared behavior patterns in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1995 and 1996, ages 11-21; N = 9,251). Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses compared sociodemographics and prevalent and incident obesity across clusters.


RESULTS
Seven and six clusters in males and females, respectively, represented behavior patterns such as School Clubs & Sports, Sedentary Behaviors, Dieters, and Junk Food & Low Activity. Sociodemographics varied across clusters. Compared to School Clubs & Sports clusters, adjusted odds of prevalent and incident obesity were higher for most clusters in females but not males.


CONCLUSIONS
Cluster analysis identified several obesogenic behavior patterns, highlighting areas for future research and potential avenues for interventions that target broad lifestyle factors.
Boone-Heinonen
Janne
J
Department of Nutrition, Schools of Public Health & Medicine, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-3997, USA.
Gordon-Larsen
Penny
P
Adair
Linda S
LS
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011584:Psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult