Differential Trends in Weight-Related Health Behaviors Among American Young Adults by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status: 1984–2006
- 1 October 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Public Health Association in American Journal of Public Health
- Vol. 99 (10), 1893-1901
- https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2008.141317
Abstract
Objectives. We investigated temporal patterns from 1984 to 2006 in 6 weight-related health behaviors by using longitudinal data for multiple cohorts of young adults (aged 19–26 years) from the nationally representative Monitoring the Future Study. Methods. We used growth curve models to examine historical trends in 6 health behaviors: frequency of eating breakfast, eating green vegetables, eating fruit, exercising, watching television, and sleeping 7 hours each night. Variations across gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status were investigated. Results. Frequency of exercising was consistently lower among young adult women than young adult men over this 23-year period. Compared with White women, Hispanic women, and women from other race/ethnic groups, Black women showed declines in the frequency of exercise since 1984. In general, young adult women showed a marked increase in the frequency of eating breakfast over this period, although Black women did not show any net gains. Conclusions. Social disparities in body weight may increase because Black women, Hispanic women, and men with lower socioeconomic status show declining trends in positive weight-related health behaviors compared with White young adults with higher socioeconomic status.This publication has 75 references indexed in Scilit:
- Sports Participation and Physical Education in American Secondary Schools: Current Levels and Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic DisparitiesAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2007
- A Research Perspective on Findings from Bridging the GapAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2007
- Socioeconomic Status and ObesityEpidemiologic Reviews, 2007
- Beginning to BeginAmerican Journal of Public Health, 2006
- The link between short sleep duration and obesity: we should recommend more sleep to prevent obesityArchives of Disease in Childhood, 2006
- Correlates of beverage intake in adolescent girls: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health StudyThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2006
- Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity, and MorbidityAmerican Journal of Health Promotion, 2003
- Decline in Physical Activity in Black Girls and White Girls during AdolescenceNew England Journal of Medicine, 2002
- Overweight and obesity in the United States: prevalence and trends, 1960–1994International Journal of Obesity, 1997
- Trends in food intake: The 1987 and 1992 national health interview surveysNutrition and Cancer, 1997