Date of Conferral

7-22-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

Jennifer Oliphant

Abstract

The disproportionately high prevalence of obesity among African American young adults is a significant public health crisis rooted in systemic inequities. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between internet use for health information, perceived social support (online and offline), and obesity in this population. Grounded in the social cognitive theory (SCT), this study investigated how these behavioral and environmental factors interact to influence body mass index. Using secondary data from the 2021–2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a complex samples logistic regression with a Bonferroni correction (α = .0125) was conducted on an analytic sample of N = 412 African American young adults aged 18 to 35. Results indicated that internet use for health information was significantly associated with lower odds of obesity (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.74, 0.98], p = .024), as was offline perceived social support (aOR = 0.82, 95% CI [0.72, 0.93], p = .008). Online perceived social support was not independently associated with obesity (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI [0.85, 1.08], p = .482). Notably, offline social support significantly moderated the relationship, amplifying the protective association of internet use on obesity (aOR = 0.75, 95% CI [0.62, 0.90], p = .011). These findings indicate that the benefits of digital health information are maximized when coupled with strong in-person networks. Implications for positive social change include informing public health practitioners and policymakers to develop multilevel interventions that integrate digital health literacy with community- based support structures to promote health equity.

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