1. ¹Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
2. ²Department of Health Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA

Correspondence: Debbie S. Barrington (db2299@columbia.edu)

Received 12 December 2008; Accepted 29 May 2009; Published online 9 July 2009.

Abstract

This study examines sex and education variations in obesity among US- and foreign-born whites, blacks, and Hispanics utilizing 1997–2005 data from the National Health Interview Survey on 267,585 adults aged 18 years. After adjusting for various demographic, health, and socioeconomic factors via logistic regression, foreign-born black men had the lowest odds for obesity relative to US-born white men. The largest racial/ethnic disparity in obesity was between US-born black and white women. High educational attainment diminished the US-born black–white and Hispanic–white disparities among women, increased these disparities among men, and had minimal effect on foreign-born Hispanic–white disparities among women and men. Comprehension of these relationships is vital for conducting effective obesity research and interventions within an increasingly diverse United States.