title: Is acculturation related to obesity in Hispanic/Latino adults? Results from the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study examined the association of obesity with acculturation in a large and diverse sample of US Hispanic/Latino adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Hispanic Community Health Study (HCHS)/Study of Latinos (SOL) is a community-based cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18-74 years (N = 16,415) from four urban areas. Height and weight were directly measured using a standardized protocol. Acculturation was assessed by the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH). Other immigration related variables included place of birth, length of residency in the US, and age at immigration. Odds ratios were calculated to assess the association of overweight, moderate obesity, and extreme obesity (≥40 kg/m(2)) with acculturation and sociodemographic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of obesity was 42.4% for women and 36.5% for men and varied by field center and Hispanic/Latino background. The strongest predictor of moderate and extreme obesity was length of residency in mainland US. This association was consistent across Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. Acculturation was not significantly associated with obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The burden of obesity is high among Hispanic/Latino adults. The study findings suggest that prolonged exposure to the environments in these communities, rather than acculturation, is an important risk factor for obesity in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Carmen R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Isasi
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University and the Institute for Behavioral and Community Health, San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego, CA 92123, USA.
authors.forename: Guadalupe X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sotres-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University and the Institute for Behavioral and Community Health, San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego, CA 92123, USA.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2547-2202
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Madanat
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Penedo
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Loria
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University and the Institute for Behavioral and Community Health, San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego, CA 92123, USA.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.affiliation: Institute for Minority Health Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Martha L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Daviglus
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnhart
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Siega-Riz
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60126, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1362-5806
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Horn
authors.affiliation: The Behavioral Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schneiderman
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology