Keywords

obesity, childhood obesity, Western acculturation

Abstract

Obesity is a prevalent public health concern among children, especially those from minoritized backgrounds. In order to understand how acculturation and race/ethnicity influence obesogenic behavior in adolescents, a national convenience sample of 11- to 14-year-olds was recruited to participate in a survey about acculturation, physical activity, nutrition, and the school and home environment. Preliminary results showed significant differences in obesogenic behaviors when comparing White to non-White groups. Time spent watching TV, time spent playing video/computer games, and physical inactivity was higher for non-White Westernized adolescents compared to White adolescents. self-reported obesity, participation in school meals were both positively correlated with western acculturation. Concern for being overweight decreased as Western acculturation decreased. Results can improve inclusivity for students of all cultural backgrounds and potentially prevent obesity for populations.