title: The Association of Religious Affiliation with Overweight/Obesity Among South Asians: The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study.
abstract: Religiosity has been associated with greater body weight. Less is known about South Asian religions and associations with weight. Cross-sectional analysis of the MASALA study (n = 906). We examined associations between religious affiliation and overweight/obesity after controlling for age, sex, years lived in the USA, marital status, education, insurance status, health status, and smoking. We determined whether traditional cultural beliefs, physical activity, and dietary pattern mediated this association. The mean BMI was 26 kg/m2. Religious affiliation was associated with overweight/obesity for Hindus (OR 2.12; 95 % CI: 1.16, 3.89), Sikhs (OR 4.23; 95 % CI: 1.72, 10.38), and Muslims (OR 2.79; 95 % CI: 1.14, 6.80) compared with no religious affiliation. Traditional cultural beliefs (7 %), dietary pattern (1 %), and physical activity (1 %) mediated 9 % of the relationship. Interventions designed to promote healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the burden of overweight/obesity among South Asians need to be culturally and religiously tailored.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington, VA, 2202-5050, USA.
authors.forename: Nazleen H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Bharmal
authors.affiliation: Department Cancer Prevention and Control Res/FSPH and JCCC, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, BOX 956900, A2-125 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6900, USA.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine, 1545 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA.
authors.forename: Meghana D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gadgil
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Namratha R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kandula
authors.affiliation: UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine, 1545 Divisadero Street, Suite 311, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA. alka.kanaya@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Alka M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kanaya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D018596:Hinduism / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D029181:Spirituality; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Obesity; Overweight; Religious affiliation; South Asian