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Residential property values predict obesity, not short-term weight change
Socioeconomic status variables could serve as predictors for prevalent obesity, but not for weight change during a single year, according to findings published in Obesity.
“Low individual socioeconomic status did not predispose to weight gain and was no barrier to weight loss, at least in the short term,” the researchers wrote. “These findings offer significant new hope for community-level obesity prevention and control.”
Adam Drewnowski, PhD, of the Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues studied 440 adults in the observational Seattle Obesity Study II, based on a longitudinal cohort that measured participants’ height and weight during 1 year, and followed the cross-sectional Seattle Obesity Study I.
Participants were recruited based on residential units from tax parcels within the urbanized area of King County, Washington; residents were eligible if they spoke English, were aged 18 to 55 years, did the primary food shopping and had no mobility issues.
The researchers gathered education and income data from participants through self-reported questionnaires. Home addresses were linked to property values from the tax assessor. Multivariable linear regressions were used to examine associations among socioeconomic status variables, prevalent obesity and 1-year weight change.
Low residential property values, based on tax parcel, were a predictor for prevalent obesity at baseline and 1 year. Participants with house prices in the top quartile had an 80% reduced risk for obesity risk at both time points.
By the end of study, approximately 38% of participants lost more than 1 kg body weight, 32% maintained their weight (± 1 kg) and 30% gained more than 1 kg.
None of the baseline socioeconomic status measures affected weight change at 1 year in adjusted models.
“While long-term obesity may be strongly influenced by socioeconomic status, weight dynamics may be more closely linked to individual attitudes, dietary behaviors, diet quality, and diet cost,” the researchers wrote. “More studies are needed to determine what dietary and behavioral mechanisms can potentiate or override the observed socio economic status constraints on body weight.” – by Allegra Tiver
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.