--- title: "Hispanic Acculturation & Weight-Related Attitudes | Sutter Health" description: "Culturally appropriate weight loss interventions requires understanding influence of acculturation on attitudes and behavior related to obesity & weight loss." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/attitudes-behavior-among-obese-hispanic-adults-1055312606" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Hispanic Acculturation & Weight-Related Attitudes # Acculturation and overweight-related attitudes and behavior among obese Hispanic adults in the United States New C, Xiao L, & Ma J. _Obesity (Silver Spring). doi: 10.1002/oby.20146._ 2012-11-06 ## Abstract ****OBJECTIVE:**** US Hispanics bear a disproportionate burden of excess body weight and associated morbidity, making obesity prevention and control in this population a public health priority. Development of culturally appropriate weight loss interventions requires understanding the influence of acculturation on attitudes and behavior related to obesity and weight loss. ****DESIGN AND METHODS:**** Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2004), we analyzed the associations of country of birth and language usage with weight perception, weight dissatisfaction, intention to lose weight, and intended weight loss of clinical significance among obese Hispanic adults (>20 years of age; unweighted n = 675) in multivariable logistic regression analyses. ****RESULTS:**** US birth was significantly associated with correct weight perception (odds ratio \[OR\], 4.45; 95% confidence interval \[CI\], 2.16-9.17) and weight dissatisfaction (OR = 2.95; 95% CI = 1.63-5.35). Compared with Spanish-speaking only, obese Hispanics, bilingual, obese Hispanics were more likely to attempt weight loss (OR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.43-5.40) and achieve clinically significant weight loss (OR = 3.94; 95% CI = 1.51-10.3). ****CONCLUSIONS:**** The findings suggest that lack of acculturation as measured by foreign birth and limited English proficiency may contribute to within-ethnicity health inequality among obese Hispanics, even after controlling for a variety of sociodemographic characteristics, including education and income, differential healthcare access and use, and health status. Further studies should examine the underlying mechanisms, thereby informing culturally competent intervention strategies targeted at obese US Hispanics. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Acculturation+and+overweight-related+attitudes+and+behavior) ## Research topics - [Health Disparities](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Disparities%5C%22%22) - [Obesity](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Obesity%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Evaluating two lifestyle interventions for obesity reduction in a low-income Latino neighborhood: Vivamos Activos Fair Oaks Program](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/lifestyle-interventions-obesity-low-income-latino-1055312679) Drieling RL, Ma J, Stafford RS. BMC Public Health. 11:98. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-98. 2011 Feb 14 - Publication ### [Practical research strategies for reducing social and racial/ethnic disparities in obesity.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/research-strategies-reduce-disparities-in-obesity-1055312894) Rosas LG, Stafford RS. Int J Obes (Lond). (2):s16-s22 2012 Jul 01 - Publication ### [Variations between obese Latinos and Whites in weight-related counseling during preventive clinical visits in the U.S.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obese-latinos-whites-weight-related-counseling-1055312591) Ma J, Xiao L, Yank V. Obesity (Silver Spring). 21(8):1734-41. doi: 10.1002/oby.20285. Epub 2013 May 21. 2013 Aug 01 - Publication ### [Obesity and depression in US women: results from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-depression-women-2005-2006-nhnes-1055312870) Ma J, Xiao L. Obesity. 18(2):347–353. 2010 Feb 01 - Publication ### [Weight counseling for elderly patients in primary care: how often and how much time.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/wt-counseling-elders-primary-care-1055312562) Tai-Seale T, Tai-Seale M, Zhang W. J Health Human Serv Adm. 30(4):420-440. 2008 Apr 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/attitudes-behavior-among-obese-hispanic-adults-1055312606#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Hispanic Acculturation & Weight-Related Attitudes"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/attitudes-behavior-among-obese-hispanic-adults-1055312606#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Acculturation and overweight-related attitudes and behavior among obese Hispanic adults in the United States","headline":"Hispanic Acculturation & Weight-Related Attitudes","abstract":"OBJECTIVE: US Hispanics bear a disproportionate burden of excess body weight and associated morbidity, making obesity prevention and control in this population a public health priority. Development of culturally appropriate weight loss interventions requires understanding the influence of acculturation on attitudes and behavior related to obesity and weight loss. DESIGN AND METHODS: Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2004), we analyzed the associations of country of birth and language usage with weight perception, weight dissatisfaction, intention to lose weight, and intended weight loss of clinical significance among obese Hispanic adults (>20 years of age; unweighted n = 675) in multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: US birth was significantly associated with correct weight perception (odds ratio [OR], 4.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.16-9.17) and weight dissatisfaction (OR = 2.95; 95% CI = 1.63-5.35). Compared with Spanish-speaking only, obese Hispanics, bilingual, obese Hispanics were more likely to attempt weight loss (OR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.43-5.40) and achieve clinically significant weight loss (OR = 3.94; 95% CI = 1.51-10.3). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that lack of acculturation as measured by foreign birth and limited English proficiency may contribute to within-ethnicity health inequality among obese Hispanics, even after controlling for a variety of sociodemographic characteristics, including education and income, differential healthcare access and use, and health status. Further studies should examine the underlying mechanisms, thereby informing culturally competent intervention strategies targeted at obese US Hispanics.","description":"Culturally appropriate weight loss interventions requires understanding influence of acculturation on attitudes and behavior related to obesity & weight loss.","keywords":["Health Disparities","Obesity"],"datePublished":"2012-11-06","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/attitudes-behavior-among-obese-hispanic-adults-1055312606","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.1002/oby.20146"}],"sameAs":["https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20146"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Obesity (Silver Spring)"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"New C"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Xiao L"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ma J"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Health Disparities","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Health+Disparities%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Obesity","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Obesity%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/attitudes-behavior-among-obese-hispanic-adults-1055312606","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/attitudes-behavior-among-obese-hispanic-adults-1055312606#breadcrumblist"}}} ```