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A Longitudinal Analysis of Socioeconomic Differences in Obesity and Weight Change During the Early Adult Years

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in American society. However, not enough attention has been given to weight change by temporal and dynamic detailed social characteristics, controlled for unobserved heterogeneities nested in county and state. Using the National Longitudinal Survey Youth (NLSY79), this study examined weight change and its development into unhealthy conditions like being overweight or obese, in relation to change in social characteristics including life course events. This study also examined the social characteristics of remaining at a normal weight through all time intervals over a 19-year period. Using hierarchical linear multilevel analysis, this study found that changes in social characteristics over time could be linked to weight status for both males and females. Young males with normal weight are more vulnerable to changes in life events than females. This study's identification of risky life events among young adults could lead to prevention strategies for the obesity epidemic.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UTAHS/oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:etd-5341
Date01 May 2004
CreatorsKim, Young-Taek
PublisherDigitalCommons@USU
Source SetsUtah State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceAll Graduate Theses and Dissertations
RightsCopyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact Andrew Wesolek (andrew.wesolek@usu.edu).

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