Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Pamm Kemp

Abstract

Obesity is a major public health concern that includes the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and premature death in adults. Previous studies have established the relationship between gender, educational level, household income and respondents’ weight but additional research is needed to factor the nature of education in relation to gender differences, diet, and other important behavioral mediators such as social determinants. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study is to determine the extent to which frequency of physical activity, household income, social determinants of health (money for balanced meals, finances at the end of month, and poor mental health), respondent sex, and diet (fruit, fruit juice, potato, and dark green vegetable consumption) predict respondent weight/Body Mass Index (BMI) among household adults in the United States. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for this research. Data from the NCCOR 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used for this study. The target population was adults living in households in the United States. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze data. Results revealed statistically significant associations between household income (>$75,000), race/ethnicity (African American), and weight/BMI (p = 0.025, Odds = 3.50, 95%CI = 1.17, 10.26), and (p = 0.05, Odds = 3.00, & 95% CI = 0.90, 9.08), respectively, indicating that household income and race ethnicity are predictors of weight/BMI. The results of this study could be used to promote positive social change through obesity intervention programs, thereby improving population health, increasing life expectancy, and improving human productivity.

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