Effect of length of residence on overweight by region of birth and age at arrival among US immigrants.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate associations between the length of residence and overweight among US immigrants by region of birth and age at arrival.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data from the National Health Interview Survey 1997-2005 were pooled. Multivariate-adjusted prevalence and OR were computed to test associations of length of residence and overweight.


METHODS
United States.


METHODS
Immigrant adults aged 18-74 years.


RESULTS
The odds of being overweight were three times higher in migrants from Mexico, South America, Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East residing in the US for >15 years than their counterparts residing in the United States for <5 years. On the other hand, migrants from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast (SE) Asia had no association between the length of residence and overweight prevalence. Among both men and women, weight differences emerged as early as 5 years after arrival among those arriving at 18-24 years of age (OR 1.5-1.8). The odds of being overweight was higher among Hispanic men arriving before the age of 18 years than the European migrants (Mexico OR 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3, 2.2; South America OR 1.5, 95 % CI 1.0, 2.3), whereas the odds of being overweight among those from Africa and SE Asia was lower (OR 0.5, 95 % CI 0.3, 0.9 and OR 0.5, 95 % CI 0.4, 0.8, respectively). Among women who arrived at 25-44 years of age, the odds of being overweight among those from Africa and the Indian subcontinent was higher than the European migrants (OR 2.9, 95 % CI 1.7, 5.0 and OR 1.8, 95 % CI 1.8, 2.8, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
We found associations between the length of residence and overweight to vary by region of birth and age at arrival, highlighting the importance of these characteristics in assessing overweight risk among the US immigrants.
Oza-Frank
Reena
R
Graduate Division of Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. roza@emory.edu
Narayan
K M Venkat
KM
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult