title: Are social relationships a healthy influence on obesogenic behaviors among racially/ethnically diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged residents?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations between social support and ties (family, friend, and neighbors) individually and jointly with diet and physical activity among an ethnically-diverse, low-income population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Health in Common study (2005-2009) was designed to examine risk factors among individuals residing in low-income housing in the Boston, MA area. Cross-sectional surveys (n = 828) were administered in residents' homes. Linear/logistic multivariable analyses were employed with clustering of individuals within housing sites controlled as a random effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariable analyses, total social support was significantly associated with higher red meat consumption per day (p = 0.029). Having more friends was significantly associated with more daily fruit and vegetable intake (p = 0.007) and higher levels of daily vigorous physical activity (p = 0.011). Those who reported having a greater number of family ties also reported higher daily consumption of sugary drinks (p = 0.013) and fast food (p = 0.011). More neighbor social ties were associated with more fast food per day (p = 0.024).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social relationships can have both positive and negative associations with health behaviors. Understanding these relationships could help to inform the design of interventions that promote healthy behavior change among vulnerable populations.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. sara_tamers@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tamers
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okechukwu
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stoddard
authors.forename: Reginald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tucker-Seeley
authors.forename: Glorian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sorensen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001900:Boston; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology*; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult