Sandra S Albrecht1, Theresa L Osypuk2, Namratha R Kandula3, Linda C Gallo4, Félice Lê-Scherban5, Sandi Shrager6, Ana V Diez Roux7. 1. Department of Nutrition, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill. Electronic address: ssalb@unc.edu. 2. Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 3. Division of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. 4. Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. 5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. 6. Department of Biostatistics, Collaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center, University of Washington, Seattle. 7. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: We examined whether living in neighborhoods supportive of healthier diets and more active lifestyles may buffer immigrants against the unhealthy weight gain that is purported to occur with longer length of US residence. METHODS: Neighborhood data referring to a 1-mile buffer around participants' baseline home addresses were linked to longitudinal data from 877 Hispanic and 684 Chinese immigrants aged 45 to 84 years in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We used ethnicity-stratified linear mixed models to examine whether food and activity-based neighborhood measures (healthy food stores, walkability, and recreational facilities) were associated with change in waist circumference (WC) over a 9-year follow-up. RESULTS: Among Hispanics, living in neighborhoods with more resources for healthy food and recreational activity was related to lower baseline WC. However, there was no association with change in WC over time. Among Chinese, living in more walkable neighborhoods was associated with lower baseline WC and with slower increases in WC over time, especially among the most recent immigrant arrivals. CONCLUSIONS: Where immigrants reside may have implications for health patterns that emerge with longer time in the United States.
PURPOSE: We examined whether living in neighborhoods supportive of healthier diets and more active lifestyles may buffer immigrants against the unhealthy weight gain that is purported to occur with longer length of US residence. METHODS: Neighborhood data referring to a 1-mile buffer around participants' baseline home addresses were linked to longitudinal data from 877 Hispanic and 684 Chinese immigrants aged 45 to 84 years in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We used ethnicity-stratified linear mixed models to examine whether food and activity-based neighborhood measures (healthy food stores, walkability, and recreational facilities) were associated with change in waist circumference (WC) over a 9-year follow-up. RESULTS: Among Hispanics, living in neighborhoods with more resources for healthy food and recreational activity was related to lower baseline WC. However, there was no association with change in WC over time. Among Chinese, living in more walkable neighborhoods was associated with lower baseline WC and with slower increases in WC over time, especially among the most recent immigrant arrivals. CONCLUSIONS: Where immigrants reside may have implications for health patterns that emerge with longer time in the United States.
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