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Predictors of Obesity Among Nigerian Immigrants in the United States

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Abstract

Obesity is a highly prevalent cardiovascular disease risk factor globally and in African-descent populations. A cross-sectional study of obesity among a Nigerian immigrant sample population in the United States was conducted. Data was obtained through a web-based survey. Spearman’s correlation and logistic regression were used to determine sociodemographic and behavioral determinants of obesity. The results showed no significant relationship between obesity and education, socioeconomic status, length of stay, and level of physical activity. However, we identified a significant association between weekly consumption of alcohol and all obesity (OR 1.78, 95 % CI 1.091, 2.919), and moderate/morbid obesity (OR 2.46, 95 % CI 1.213, 4.999), and between gender and moderate/morbid obesity—men were less likely (OR .030, 95 % CI .001, .733) to be obese. These findings provide strong evidence to inform targeted screening for excessive alcohol consumption along with other primary prevention strategies that may reduce the prevalence of obesity among the Nigerian immigrant population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Olawunmi Obisesan, Wen-Hung Kuo, Michael Brunet & Olubusayo Akinola

  2. Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Olawunmi Obisesan

  3. Southeast Hospital, Cape Girardeau, MO, USA

    Adekunle Obisesan

  4. Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Yvonne Commodore-Mensah

Authors
  1. Olawunmi Obisesan
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  2. Wen-Hung Kuo
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  3. Michael Brunet
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  4. Adekunle Obisesan
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  5. Olubusayo Akinola
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  6. Yvonne Commodore-Mensah
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Correspondence to Olawunmi Obisesan.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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The Walden University Institutional Review Board provided ethics approval.

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All subjects provided informed consent before participating in the study.

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Obisesan, O., Kuo, WH., Brunet, M. et al. Predictors of Obesity Among Nigerian Immigrants in the United States. J Immigrant Minority Health 19, 328–332 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0404-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0404-4

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