How incarceration influences native-born black men’s risk of obesity

Abstract

Objective: To build upon research that investigates the health significance of familial and former incarceration with special emphasis on obesity risk among native-born Black (ie, African American) men. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Life (NSAL), focusing on native-born Black men (n=1140), the demographic group that bears the brunt of mass incarceration. The outcome of interest was obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI)>30. Principal predictors were familial and former incarceration, and their statistical interaction. Results: In survey-adjusted binomial logistic regression models, familial incarceration appeared an unimportant predictor; whereas, former incarceration associated with a lower risk of obesity. However, former incarceration modifies the association between familial incarceration and obesity, such that native-born Black men experiencing both familial and former incarceration were significantly more likely to be obese. Conclusions: Public health researchers should treat former incarceration with greater care in studies including native-born Black men because time spent incarcerated has lingering physical health significance.