Rural African American Women With Severe Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Lifestyle Behaviors and Psychosocial Characteristics

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  • Alick, Candice L.
  • Braxton, Danielle
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, NC, USA
  • Skinner, Harlyn
    • ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1378-7968
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
  • Alexander, Ramine
    • Other Affiliation: Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Food and Nutritional Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
  • Ammerman, Alice S.
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition
  • Keyserling, Thomas C.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine
  • Samuel-Hodge, Carmen D.
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition
Abstract
  • PurposeTo examine differences in lifestyle behavioral and psychosocial factors between rural African American women with Class 3 obesity and those with overweight, and Class 1-2 obesity.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingRural Southeastern United States.SubjectsParticipants included 289 African American women with a mean age of 56 years, 66% with a high school education or less, and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 38.6 kg/m2; 35% (n = 102) were classified with Class 3 obesity.MeasuresWe objectively measured height, weight, and physical activity steps/day. Self-reported dietary and physical activity behaviors, general health-related quality of life, mental health, and social support were measured with validated surveys.AnalysisChi-Square analysis for categorical variables and analysis of variance (ANOVA) – via multiple linear regression – for continuous variables.ResultsThere were no significant demographic differences between BMI groups, except for age, where women with Class 3 obesity were on average younger (51 vs 58 y, P < .001). Although dietary behaviors did not differ significantly between groups, we observed significant group differences in self-reported and objective measures of physical activity. The age-adjusted difference in means for self-reported total physical activity minutes/wk. was 91 minutes, with women categorized with Class 3 obesity reporting significantly fewer weekly minutes than those with overweight/Class 1-2 obesity (64.3 vs 156.4 min/wk. respectively, P < .01). Among psychosocial variables, only in the physical component scores of health-related quality of life did we find significant group differences – lower physical well-being among women with Class 3 obesity compared to those with overweight/Class 1-2 obesity (P = .02).ConclusionFor African American women with Class 3 obesity living in rural setting, these findings suggest behavioral weight loss interventions may need to target physical activity strategies that address physical, psychosocial, and environmental barriers.
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  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Rights holder
  • SAGE Publications
License
  • Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Journal title
  • American Journal of Health Promotion
Journal volume
  • 37
Journal issue
  • 8
Page start
  • 1060
Page end
  • 1069
Funder
  • National Institute of Health
  • Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
ISSN
  • 2168-6602
  • 0890-1171
Copyright date
  • 2023
Publisher
  • SAGE Publications

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