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Multicenter Study
. 2011 Winter;21(1):58-62.

Effects of socioeconomic factors on obesity rates in four southern states and Colorado

Luma Akil  1 , H Anwar Ahmad
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Effects of socioeconomic factors on obesity rates in four southern states and Colorado

Luma Akil et al. Ethn Dis. 2011 Winter.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between the increase in body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic factors (eg, income level, % below poverty line, unemployment rates and persons receiving food stamps) in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and Colorado.

Design: Data from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor were obtained and analyzed for the years 1995-2008.

Results: Results from this study showed a strong association between obesity and the tested variables (R2 = .767). Factors more closely related with obesity were: income below poverty level; receipt of food stamps; unemployment; and general income level. The coefficient of determination for these variables were 0.438, 0.427, 0.103 and 0.018, respectively. The highest rate of obesity was found in Mississippi (26.5% +/- 4.13%) followed by Alabama (25.18% +/- 4.41%), while Colorado had the lowest rate of obesity (15.4% +/- 2.63%). By ethnicity, African Americans had the highest rate of obesity (32.64 +/- 5.99%).

Conclusion: We found a significant effect of consumption of low-quality food, due to economic factors, on increased BMI. Besides physical activity, the quality and the quantity of food are important factors that contribute to obesity rates.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Regression analysis between the obesity rates (BMI >30) and percentage of people below the poverty level for the United States and Miss., Ala., Tenn., La., and Colo. (y = 1.0029x + 7.6152, R2 = 0.438)
Fig 2
Fig 2
Regression analysis between the increase in obesity rates and the percent of people receiving Supplement Nutritional Assistant Program. (y = 0.948x + 13.103, R2 = 0.427)
Fig 3
Fig 3
Regression analysis between the increase in obesity rates and the unemployment rates. (y = 1.5353x + 17.299; R2 = 0.103)
Fig 4
Fig 4
Regression analysis between the increase in obesity rates with the income level. (y = −0.0001x + 27.115; R2 = 0.018)
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