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. 2015:2:941-945.
doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.10.014.

The Relationship between Social Network Body Size and the Body Size Norms of Black and Hispanic Adults

Ginger Winston  1 , Erica Phillips  2 , Elaine Wethington  3 , Martin Wells  4 , Carol M Devine  5 , Janey Peterson  2 , Brian Wansink  6 , Rosio Ramos  2 , Mary Charlson  2
Affiliations

The Relationship between Social Network Body Size and the Body Size Norms of Black and Hispanic Adults

Ginger Winston et al. Prev Med Rep. 2015.

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.

Keywords: body image; body size norms; obesity; social networks.

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