title: Immigration Status, Visa Types, and Body Weight Among New Immigrants in the United States.
abstract: To investigate the relationship between immigration-related factors and body mass index (BMI) among immigrants.
  
  
  
  Secondary analyses of cross-sectional survey data.
  
  
  
  The New Immigrant Survey (NIS-2003) contains data from in-person or telephone interviews between May and November 2003, with a probability sample of immigrants granted legal permanent residency in the United States.
  
  
  
  A total of 8573 US immigrants.
  
  
  
  The NIS-2003 provided data on sociobehavioral domains, including migration history, education, employment, marital history, language, and health-related behaviors. The visa classifications are as follows: (1) family reunification, (2) employment, (3) diversity, (4) refugee, and (5) legalization.
  
  
  
  Nested multivariable linear regression analysis was used to estimate the independent relationships between BMI and the variables of interest.
  
  
  
  Overall, 32.6% of participants were overweight and 11.3% were obese (mean BMI = 25). Participants who were admitted to the United States with employment, refugee, or legalization visas compared with those who came with family reunion visas had a significantly higher BMI ( P < .001, P < .001, P < .01, respectively). Duration in the United States predicted BMI, with those immigrants in the United States longer having a higher BMI ( P < .001).
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that immigrants who obtain particular visa categorizations and immigration status might have a higher risk of being overweight or obese. Immigrants need to be targeted along with the rest of the US population for weight management interventions.
authors.affiliation: 1 Nutrition Program, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ming-Chin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Nina S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.affiliation: 1 Nutrition Program, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alison E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Megliola
authors.affiliation: 3 Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kelvin
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: acculturation; immigrants; obesity; overweight; visa