Racial Differences in Obesity and Educational Status

Christine Himes, Syracuse University
Sandra L. Reynolds, University of South Florida

Obesity is related to health problems in adulthood including diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease. The prevalence of obesity varies across many demographic characteristics. In particular, obesity is inversely related to educational status. However, as the average educational level has increased in the U.S. population, the prevalence of obesity also has been increasing. Obesity is also related to race. African American women have the highest rates of obesity in the United States. Using data from the 1982 through 1996 NHIS we examine the role of educational status on body size. Have the educational differentials in obesity changed over time? Are they constant across race and gender? What are the implications for health and functioning? Our analyses show that obesity has increased at all educational levels for both Caucasians and African Americans. Among those in younger cohorts, lower than average educational attainment appears to be more strongly related to obesity in recent cohorts.