title: The Relationship between Social Network Body Size and the Body Size Norms of Black and Hispanic Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between the body size norms of Black and Hispanic adults and the body sizes of their social network members.
  
  
  METHODS
  Egocentric network data were examined for 245 adults recruited from 2012-2013 in New York City. A multivariable regression model was used to examine the relationship between participants' perception of normal body size and the body sizes of their network members adjusted for participant age, education, race/ethnicity and network size. Participants' body size norms were also examined stratified by the following characteristics of obese network members: frequency of contact, living proximity, relationship, and importance of relationship.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Index participants were 89% female with mean body mass index 33.5 kg/m2. There were 2,571 network members identified (31% overweight, 10% obese). In the fully adjusted multivariable model, perception of normal body size increased as the number of network members with obesity increased (p<0.01). Larger body size norms were associated with increased frequency of contact with obese network members (p=0.04), and obese members living in the home (p=0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support a relationship between the body size norms of Black and Hispanic adults and their social network body size.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, George Washington University, 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 5-416, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Ginger
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Winston
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluative Sciences Research, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, Cornell University, G96 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wethington
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistical Science, Cornell University, 1190 Constock Hall, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, 405 Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluative Sciences Research, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Janey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, Cornell University, 475H Warren Hall, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wansink
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluative Sciences Research, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Rosio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluative Sciences Research, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charlson
keywords: body image; body size norms; obesity; social networks