Open AccessEgocentric social networks, lifestyle behaviors, and body size in the Asian Community Health Initiative (CHI) cohort
Author(s) -
Candyce H. Kroenke,
Gem M. Le,
Shan M. Conroy,
Alison J. Canchola,
Salma ShariffMarco,
Scarlett Lin Gomez
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0232239
Subject(s) - demography , body mass index , odds , odds ratio , logistic regression , waist , gerontology , cohort , medicine , cohort study , social network (sociolinguistics) , social support , community health , public health , psychology , social psychology , sociology , nursing , political science , law , social media
Background Social networks have been shown to influence lifestyle behaviors in non-Latinx white (NLW) populations. We examined their influence in Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women. Methods We included 477 AANHPI women from the Asian Community Health Initiative Study who provided egocentric (degree, density, composition) and epidemiologic (size, types of ties) social network data and data on alcohol intake, physical activity, smoking, diet, and body size. We used logistic regression to evaluate associations of social network measures and dichotomous outcomes, and linear regression for continuous outcomes. Results In multivariable-adjusted analyses, higher degree and/or proportion of friends were significantly related to higher Western diet, higher odds of any alcohol consumption, and lower odds of physical inactivity and body mass index (BMI)≥23 kg/m 2 . Additionally, a higher proportion of NLW in women’s networks was related to lower Asian diet but also lower waist size. Community participation was related to higher Western diet and lower Asian diet. By contrast, degree and/or proportion of relatives were positively related to BMI, waist size and to a higher odds of BMI≥23 kg/m 2 and of ever smoking 100 cigarettes. Being married was related to fewer alcoholic drinks per week and higher Asian diet. A higher density of relationships with frequent contact was also associated with higher Asian diet. Conclusions AANHPI women with larger proportions of friends and NLWs in their networks had more Western health behaviors and smaller body size. Norms for health behaviors and body size may be influenced by the size, composition, and structure of social networks, relevant to chronic disease prevention.