The Impact of Discrimination on Anthropometric Outcomes: An Analysis of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Project Summary Obesity disparities in children and adolescents have persisted for decades. The reasons for these disparities are not fully understood, despite research into factors such as diet, physical activity, and socioeconomic position. Discrimination has been implicated as a social determinant for obesity. While discrimination is understood as a multidimensional construct that operates at multiple levels and in different social contexts, the association between multiple forms of discrimination and obesity among youth remains understudied, as well as the underlying mechanisms by which discrimination may affect obesity. This study aims to define the relationship between multiple forms of discrimination and obesity using longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, in order to increase the efficacy of prevention efforts and treatment to reduce obesity and obesity disparities. The study will assess the association between different forms of discrimination (neighborhood and interpersonal) and the growth trajectory of anthropometric outcomes (i.e., BMI and waist circumference), examine the role of discrimination in explaining racial/ethnic disparities in anthropometric outcomes, investigate the extent to which obesity-related health behaviors mediates the relationship between discrimination and adiposity, and evaluate the potential buffering effect of psychosocial resources (e.g., family support and positive school environment). Overall, this study has the potential to inform the optimization of existing clinical and place-based interventions aimed at reducing obesity by highlighting the importance of addressing discrimination and identifying the context and most at-risk groups that can benefit from these interventions to reduce health disparities.