The Role of Immigration Status and Residency Duration in the Risk of Obesity: Insights from an Adjusted Logistic Regression Analysis
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Obesity impacts about 42% of adults in the United States, affecting both U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born individuals, who comprise 14% of the population. This study investigates how migration status and residency duration influence obesity risk, adjusting for clinical, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors. Methods: Data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed, including 5,591 adults aged 20 and older. Logistic regression assessed obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m², relative to migration status, with adjustments for age, gender, race, income, education, comorbidities, and behaviors. Results: Among 2,540 participants, 45.4% were classified as obese. Of U.S.-born individuals, 77.1% had a BMI ≥30 kg/m², compared to 40.9% of non-U.S.-born individuals. Non-U.S.-born individuals showed 46.2% lower odds of obesity (OR 0.54; p < 0.0001). In the adjusted model, foreign-born status was associated with 40% lower obesity odds (adjusted OR 0.6; p < 0.0001), though longer residency increased risk. Risk factors included female gender, Hispanic or Black race, higher income, and depression. Specifically, those residing in the U.S. for 15-20 years had 60% greater obesity odds (OR 1.62; p = 0.04), while over 20 years of residence saw an 88% increase (OR 1.88; p = 0.002). Conclusion: Migration status significantly influences obesity risk, with lower prevalence in non-U.S.-born individuals. However, longer U.S. residency heightens obesity risk, emphasizing the need for targeted public health strategies addressing cultural, socioeconomic, and dietary challenges faced by immigrants.
Authors: Marianna Leite, Gabriel Cojuc, Juliana Paulucci, Raunaq Khanna, Clara Noble, Maria Fernandez, Lisa Schutze, Christiane Soyer, Camila Carvalho, Emilia Almanzar, Gabriela Lima, Ian Maia, Julianne DeCastro, Andre Molina, Andressa Scarpitta, Caio Araujo, Paula Hayakawa, Thaise Sestelo Uzeda, Virginia Neta, Yelidad Llaveras, Adriana Villamizar, Andrea Noronha, Elena Su, Joyeta Razzaque, Marco Luque, Ricardo Cayolla, Salomon Huancahuire, Savci Telek, Victoria Alvarado, Andre Canteri
Institution: Harvard University
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411144261