title: Disparities in the prevalence of obesity in Boston: results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined disparities in the prevalence of obesity to determine how future prevention and/or intervention efforts should be developed to remedy obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained individual information of sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, and lifestyle behaviors from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey for 2002-2005. To account for the complex BACH sampling design, observations were weighted inversely to their probability of selection, and sampling weights were poststratified to the Boston population from the U.S. Census 2000. We tested all possible two- and three-way interaction terms from a multivariate logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for individual determinants in detail and focusing on the population within a single city, the associations of sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, and lifestyle behaviors with obesity were consistent with previous findings. Notably, three two-way interaction terms were significantly associated with obesity: (1) race/ethnicity and gender, (2) gender and other people in the household, and (3) race/ethnicity and alcohol consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future obesity prevention and/or intervention programs in Boston need to be primarily gender- and racially/ethnically specific to minimize cost and maximize results. Additional considerations are needed to take into account the differences in age, the presence of other people in the household, and education level.
authors: Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Advanced Studies Program, Cambridge, MA, USA. moka@post.harvard.edu
authors: Masayoshi
authors: M
authors: Oka
authors: Carol L
authors: CL
authors: Link
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Kawachi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence