Weight and Obesity
The Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Immigrant Women from Sub-Saharan Africa Living in Grande Prairie, Alberta
In spite of the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in the general population, little attention has been paid to immigrant communities, which are at a greater risk of weight gain compared to the majority. This is quite disturbing given the increased rate of migration from low-income countries. Lack of epidemiological data relating to overweight and obesity is particularly true for women of sub-Saharan African origin living in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. This study will involve a cross-sectional survey, to fill this gap in literature. A sample of 100 subjects is deemed to be representative of the target population. Knowledge of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population will be important for designing weight management interventions for this group, thereby reducing the risk of overweight and obesity as well as associated co-morbidities.
Introduction and Background
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has been on the rise in the last few decades, with physical inactivity and other lifestyle factors playing a crucial role (Singh, Kogan & Yu, 2009). Measured by body mass index (BMI) (body weight divided by the square of body height in metres), overweight and obesity generally denote an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure in the body (Labree et al., 2015). The ideal body weight should be 18.5-25 kg/m2 (Menigoz, Nathan & Turrell, 2016). Anything beyond this is considered overweight or obesity.
Overweight and obese immigrants bear a greater burden compared to the rest of the population (Choi, 2012; Gele & Mbalilaki, 2013). Regrettably, most developed countries lack substantive documentation of the epidemiology of overweight and obesity among immigrants (Menigoz, Nathan & Turrell, 2016). This imposes significant morbidity, mortality, economic, and psychological burden on such immigrants. More importantly, immigrants increasingly comprise a significant portion of the population in developed countries, especially North America (Menigoz, Nathan & Turrell, 2016).
The scarcity of epidemiological data relating to overweight and obesity in immigrants is particularly true for women in Canada. The few studies in Canada pay attention to immigrants in general, with little or no information about variations in overweight and obesity by gender, ethnic background, and region (e.g. McDonald & Kennedy, 2005; Adhikari, 2014). Kirchengast & Kilaf (2014) show that immigrant women are at a greater risk of developing overweight and obesity compared to immigrant men and the rest of the population. Furthermore, women from certain ethnic backgrounds face a greater risk of overweight and obesity compared to others (Choi, 2012).
The researcher found that so far no research has been conducted to document the prevalence of overweight and obesity in women of sub-Saharan African origin living in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. The present study proposes to fill this gap in literature. The study will specifically seek to answer the following question: Are immigrant women from sub-Saharan Africa, 25 to 50 years old, who have lived in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada for 5 years and above at increased risk of excessive weight gain due to inactive lifestyle, compared to immigrant women from sub-Saharan Africa of the same age group who have lived in Grande Prairie for 2 years and below?
Pertaining to the above, five important variables are evident: overweight, obesity, immigrant (migrant status), duration of residence, and physical activity. Denoting weight gain, overweight and obesity comprise the dependent variables, while migrant status, duration of residence, and physical activity will represent...
In this study, overweight will be defined as BMI in the range of 25 to 29 kg/m2, while obesity will be defined as BMI in the range of 30 kg/m2 and above. An immigrant will be defined as an individual born outside and living permanently in the host country. This will particularly relate females of sub-Saharan African origin aged 25-50 years living in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. Duration of residence denote the length in years the individual has lived in the host country. Finally, physical activity will be defined as moderate to vigorous physical movement of the body that consumes energy, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, aerobics, swimming, as well as sports such as tennis and basketball.
Theoretical Framework
Though there are numerous theories underpinning research on overweight and obesity within the context of immigration, acculturation model provides an appropriate theoretical foundation. Acculturation generally denotes changes in an individual's cultural patterns as a result of interaction with the environment, lifestyle, and culture of the host country (Menigoz, Nathan & Turrell, 2016). Studies conducted in most developed countries have extensively demonstrated that immigrants have lower BMI, overweight, and obesity upon arrival compared to natives (McDonald & Kennedy, 2005; Choi, 2012; Gele & Mbalilaki, 2013; Goulao, Santos & Carmo, 2015). Nonetheless, as they become acculturated into the host country, their BMI and prevalence of overweight and obesity increase. They change their lifestyle behaviours and become more exposed to obesogenic environments, consequently increasing the risk of weight gain (Kirchengast & Kilaf, 2014).
Literature Review
Literature has extensively documented the prevalence of obesity and overweight in immigrants. A study involving a nationally representative sample of Australian adults (n = 13,047) found that immigrants had substantially higher BMIs compared to the majority population (Menigoz, Nathan & Turrell, 2016). The large sample used is a major strength of the study. A systematic review of 39 articles further found a consistent positive link between immigration and weight gain (Goulao, Santos & Carmo, 2015). Other studies have also reported similar findings (McDonald & Kennedy, 2005; Choi, 2012; Gele & Mbalilaki, 2013; Adhikari, 2014).
Overweight and obesity mainly result from an enduring energy balance in the body (Goulao, Santos & Carmo, 2015). The consumption of high-calorie foods results in high intake of energy, a problem compounded by physical inactivity and a sedentary life. A sedentary life often means low energy expenditure, which creates an imbalance between the excess energy taken in and the low energy consumed by the body. It is, however, important to note that other factors may also increase the risk of overweight and obesity: socioeconomic background, age, psychological factors, ethnicity, genetics, environmental factors (obesogenic environments), and immigrant status (Kirchengast & Kilaf, 2014; Labree et al., 2015).
Immigrant status may be a particularly important risk factor for overweight and obesity (Adhikari, 2014). Migrating from low-income to high-income countries is often a risk factor for overweight and obesity as majority of immigrants are usually characterised by lower educational attainment and poorer socioeconomic status compared to the majority population (Kirchengast & Kilaf, 2014). These factors predispose immigrants to unhealthy weight gain. For instance, low income hinders access to healthy food, compelling most immigrants to resort to fast foods and other unhealthy dietary habits. In fact, low socioeconomic status is significantly associated with health risks (Choi, 2012).
The increased risk…
Culture among Immigrant Women from Sub-Saharan Africa Diagnosed with Chronic Diseases, Living in Grande Prairie, Alberta The concept culture is defined as learned beliefs revealing the method people interact with their physical and social environment generally shared among a large segment of the population and transmitted from one generation to the other. These beliefs can include body size, habit and food habit. This proposal discusses the impact culture among immigrant
Immigrant Women from Sub-Sahara Africa Intimate partner violence, also referred to as domestic violence, is one of the most prevalent kinds of violence against women and takes into account physical, sexual, and emotional abuse as well as controlling manners and actions by an intimate partner. Domestic violence takes place in all settings and amidst all socioeconomic, religious and cultural groups (World Health Organization, 2012). In particular, violence by an intimate partner
South Africa Labor Relations This report shall deign to cover the broad topic of employee and employer relations in the country of South Africa. While the overall subject of labor relations is an important and vital topic in all countries to some degree or another, South Africa is absolutely one of those countries that has a rich amount of conflict, discrimination, big questions and bigger answers than most other countries. Indeed,
Cultural Perceptions of Time in Africa Time is a foundational factor in every culture. The perception of time is different for most cultures and the determining factor to those differences is often based on the means of production. "Most cultures have some concept of time, although the way they deal with time may differ fundamentally." (Kokole 1994, 35) Tracing the perception of the concept of time in Africa can be seen
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE ON WOMEN INVOLVED IN PROSTITUTION Conceptual Paper Millions of children around the globe are sexually abused or exploited. This paper includes several descriptions of studies that relate sexual abuse during childhood to delinquency later in life. There are several difficulties with methodology and definitions that are inherent in the mentioned studies. These challenges make it somewhat difficult to compare and interpret the findings of the study. A framework
Female Genital Mutilation -- a Review and Analysis How prevalent is the practice of female genital mutilation throughout the world? Why is it done, where is it done, and what are the human rights and morality implications? This paper will examine those questions, and provide information that supplements those issues. The Literature on Female Genital Mutilation There are four types of female genital mutilation (FGM), according to an article in the British Journal