Designing Effective Health Education Interventions for Preventing Obesity in South Asian Americans

Abstract

South Asian Americans constitute the fastest growing immigrant group in the United States. Overweight (adults: 38% - 57%, children: 18% - 43%) and obesity (24%) rates in Asian Americans are increasing and not even a single health education intervention has been designed for this group in this regard. The purpose of this study was to identify culturally-relevant determinants that influence obesity and overweight among South Asian Americans and develop a set of recommendations for designing culturally-appropriate interventions for this group. The modifiable determinants for overweight and obesity in South Asian Americans were found to be physical inactivity, dietary behaviors (consuming large portion sizes, less consumption of fruits and vegetables, large consumption of sweetened beverages), watching TV for long hours on a sustained basis, acculturation to the US, poor family communication, less social support, less social integration, stress, and longer years of living in the United States. There is need for interventions both for children in school settings utilizing parental involvement and for adults in community settings utilizing local religious organizations. Culturally robust behavioral theories need to be utilized with this subpopulation.