Income and ethnicity differences among people with diabetes

Jones Smith, J. C., M. Wharton, M. Kelly, E. Kersten, A. Karter, N. Adler, D. Schillinger, H. Moffett, B. A. Laraia. 2013. Obesity and the food environment: income and ethnicity differences among people with diabetes, the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE). Diabetes Care 36:2697-2705

The objectives of this study were to test whether there was an association between food environments and obesity among adults with diabetes and whether this relationship differed according to individual income or race/ethnicity. We found that more healthful food environments were associated with lower obesity in the highest income groups among whites, Latinos, and Asians. The association was negative, but smaller and not statistically significant, among high-income blacks. In contrast, a more healthful food environment was associated with higher obesity among participants in the lowest-income group which was statistically significant for black participants in this income category. These findings suggest that the availability of healthful food environments may have different health implications when financial resources are severely constrained. Journal link.