Disparities in Adolescent Obesity Rates by Race, Gender, and SES: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of NHA

Adolescent obesity remains an ongoing public health concern across the United States with persistent disparity by race, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES). The current cross-sectional analysis employs National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2015 through 2022 to evaluate obesity in U.S. adolescents aged 12 through 19 years with focus on the intersection of the disparities. Complete data were available for 1,133 adolescents who were evaluated. The CDC growth chart criteria was used to classify obesity. Analyses controlled the survey design complexity of the NHANES (sampling weights, strata, and clusters). Results revealed the existence of substantial subgroup variation in obesity prevalence. Highest prevalence of obesity existed in high SES Mexican American men (36.36%), and the lowest prevalence existed in high SES Non-Hispanic White men (7.7%). Regression models revealed the race/ethnicity variable as a predictor of obesity but SES and gender in themselves did not remain significant after controlling for confounders. This finding is contrary to expectation about protection offered by higher SES against obesity and shows the relevance of intersectional analysis in public health research. Our findings support the need for demographically targeted and culturally appropriate interventions specifically for higher SES Mexican American males. Public health efforts must account for the interdependent and interactive nature of race, gender, and SES to better address adolescent obesity and health inequity.