Association between environmental factors and BMI: evidence from recent immigrants from developing countries

BACKGROUND: To study the association between the surrounding local environmental factors and the body mass index of immigrants in the USA. METHODS: We use the New Immigrant Survey, to study the association of obesity prevalence in a region on body mass index. We consider local obesity rate as an outcome of the local environmental factors. Using ordinary least squares, three versions of equations are estimated to quantify the contribution of individual-level, acculturation, and environmental effects on immigrants’ body mass index. RESULTS: We find statistically significant results for the correlation of local obesity rate and body mass index. For every 1% increase in the obesity rate, the body mass index levels increase by 0.182 kg/m(2). Evidence also suggests dietary assimilation in immigrants is influenced by local environmental factors and that dietary change affects body mass index of female immigrants. CONCLUSIONS: Immigrants’ body mass index increase with the increase in the local obesity rate of the region where they reside. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s41043-019-0174-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.