Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women
IntroductionWomen of reproductive age (18–44 years) are at an increased risk of developing obesity due to pregnancy, life-transitions, and marginalization. Obesity in women negatively affects women’s health and pregnancy outcomes and can increase risk their children will develop obesity. Less is kno...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| author | Amanda Gilbert Alicia Persaud Sarah Farabi Sarah Farabi Cindy Schwarz Debra Haire-Joshu Rachel G. Tabak |
| author_facet | Amanda Gilbert Alicia Persaud Sarah Farabi Sarah Farabi Cindy Schwarz Debra Haire-Joshu Rachel G. Tabak |
| author_sort | Amanda Gilbert |
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| description | IntroductionWomen of reproductive age (18–44 years) are at an increased risk of developing obesity due to pregnancy, life-transitions, and marginalization. Obesity in women negatively affects women’s health and pregnancy outcomes and can increase risk their children will develop obesity. Less is known about obesity risk at the interpersonal and environmental levels for women of reproductive age. This study uses the socioecological model to explore women’s obesity risk across ecological levels.Materials and methodsA secondary cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data (March 2019–June 2022) from the cluster-randomized Healthy Eating and Active Living Taught at Home (HEALTH) Dissemination and Implementation study. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine associations between individual, interpersonal, and environmental level factors with weight status (overweight vs. obesity).ResultsAmong 221 participants (43% Hispanic/Latino, 51% High school or less), 37% were overweight and 63% had obesity. Interpersonal and environmental factors were not statistically significantly associated with obesity relative to overweight in bivariate analyses. In multivariate models, individual level factors of high/moderate physical activity (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26,0.84, p = 0.01) and food insecurity (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.33,4.71, p = 0.00) were statistically significantly related to risk of having obesity compared to being overweight.DiscussionPhysical activity and food insecurity were associated with obesity in this study. Associations with interpersonal and environmental level factors were not statistically significant, which may be due to limited sample size or measures available to assess these levels. Future studies should investigate structural determinants (e.g., economic, neighborhood and physical environment), which may drive physical activity and food insecurity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-596a74a293b1483cbcb2cc188778e58b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-596a74a293b1483cbcb2cc188778e58b2025-02-05T07:32:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-02-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.14984501498450Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age womenAmanda Gilbert0Alicia Persaud1Sarah Farabi2Sarah Farabi3Cindy Schwarz4Debra Haire-Joshu5Rachel G. Tabak6Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United StatesPrevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United StatesGoldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College, St. Louis, MO, United StatesCenter for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United StatesCenter for Diabetes Translation Research at Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United StatesCenter for Diabetes Translation Research at Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United StatesPrevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United StatesIntroductionWomen of reproductive age (18–44 years) are at an increased risk of developing obesity due to pregnancy, life-transitions, and marginalization. Obesity in women negatively affects women’s health and pregnancy outcomes and can increase risk their children will develop obesity. Less is known about obesity risk at the interpersonal and environmental levels for women of reproductive age. This study uses the socioecological model to explore women’s obesity risk across ecological levels.Materials and methodsA secondary cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data (March 2019–June 2022) from the cluster-randomized Healthy Eating and Active Living Taught at Home (HEALTH) Dissemination and Implementation study. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine associations between individual, interpersonal, and environmental level factors with weight status (overweight vs. obesity).ResultsAmong 221 participants (43% Hispanic/Latino, 51% High school or less), 37% were overweight and 63% had obesity. Interpersonal and environmental factors were not statistically significantly associated with obesity relative to overweight in bivariate analyses. In multivariate models, individual level factors of high/moderate physical activity (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26,0.84, p = 0.01) and food insecurity (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.33,4.71, p = 0.00) were statistically significantly related to risk of having obesity compared to being overweight.DiscussionPhysical activity and food insecurity were associated with obesity in this study. Associations with interpersonal and environmental level factors were not statistically significant, which may be due to limited sample size or measures available to assess these levels. Future studies should investigate structural determinants (e.g., economic, neighborhood and physical environment), which may drive physical activity and food insecurity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1498450/fullObesitypreventionwomenhealth behaviorsecological |
| spellingShingle | Amanda Gilbert Alicia Persaud Sarah Farabi Sarah Farabi Cindy Schwarz Debra Haire-Joshu Rachel G. Tabak Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women Frontiers in Public Health Obesity prevention women health behaviors ecological |
| title | Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women |
| title_full | Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women |
| title_fullStr | Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women |
| title_short | Using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women |
| title_sort | using the socioecological model to explore factors associated with obesity among reproductive age women |
| topic | Obesity prevention women health behaviors ecological |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1498450/full |
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