title: Obesity among chronically homeless adults: is it a problem?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined rates of obesity and associated characteristics in the chronically homeless population to explore how a range of factors, including sociodemographics, housing, food source, physical and mental health, and health service use, were related to being overweight or obese.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted multivariate regression analyses on a community sample of 436 chronically homeless adults across 11 U.S. cities to examine the prevalence of obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority (57%) of chronically homeless adults were overweight or obese. Chronically homeless adults who were female or Hispanic appeared to be at particular risk for obesity. There were few differences on physical and mental health by weight group. Although overweight and obese chronically homeless adults were more likely to discuss exercise with a health-care provider, they reported engaging in less exercise than those who were underweight or normal weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings underscore the need for greater attention to obesity in chronically homeless adults and demonstrate a food insecurity-obesity paradox or poverty-obesity link.
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06516, USA. Jack.Tsai@yale.edu
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rosenheck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology