The association between personality traits and body mass index varies with nativity among individuals of Mexican origin.
Personality traits have been associated consistently with health-related outcomes, but less is known about how aspects of the sociocultural environment modify these associations. This study uses a sample of participants of Mexican origin (N = 1013) to test whether exposure to the United States, indexed by nativity (Mexicans living in Mexico, foreign-born Mexican Americans, and U.S.-born Mexican Americans), moderates the association between personality traits and body mass index (BMI). Higher Conscientiousness was associated with lower BMI, regardless of nativity. In contrast, the association between Neuroticism and BMI was moderated by exposure to the U.S.: Neuroticism was associated with higher BMI among U.S.-born Mexican Americans (partial r = .15) but not among Mexican participants (partial r = .00), an effect strongest and most robust for the impulsivity facet of Neuroticism. This finding suggests that with more exposure to the United States, those who are more emotionally impulsive are at greater risk for obesity. More broadly, these findings suggest that social and psychological vulnerabilities interact to contribute to health outcomes.
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, 1115 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Electronic address: angelina.sutin@med.fsu.edu.
Angelina R
AR
Sutin
Psychology Department, W357 Thompson Hall, State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY 14063.
Darrin L
DL
Rogers
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas-Pan American, 1201 W. University, Edinburg, TX 78539.
Alfonso
A
Mercado
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas-Pan American, 1201 W. University, Edinburg, TX 78539.
Amy
A
Weimer
Sierra Mojada 950, Colonia Independencia, C.P. 44340, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Cecilia Colunga
CC
Rodriguez
Pedro de Alba S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, 66450 San Nicolás de Los Garza, N.L., Mexico.
Monica
M
Gonzalez
Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616.
Richard W
RW
Robins
Department of Public Health Sciences, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1120 N.W. 14th Street, 10th Floor, Miami, FL 33136.
Seth J
SJ
Schwartz
Department of Geriatrics, Florida State University College of Medicine, 1115 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32308.
Antonio
A
Terracciano
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004644:Emotions; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
Acculturation; Conscientiousness; Nativity; Neuroticism; Obesity