Direct and indirect associations of experience of racial discrimination, dietary patterns and obesity in adults from southern Brazil

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the direct and indirect associations of experience of racial discrimination on dietary patterns, obesity, and abdominal obesity. Design: cross-sectional population-based study. The main exposure was self-reported experiences of racial discrimination (Experiences of Discrimination scale). The mediator variables were the dietary patterns (DP): healthy, traditional Brazilian, sugar and carbohydrates, and fast food. The outcomes were obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2), and abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 88 cm for women; ≥ 102 cm for men). Structural equation modeling was applied. Setting: Porto Alegre, Brazil Participants: 400 adults aged between 20 and 70 years. Results: the mean age of participants was 47.2 years (SD = 13.9), and 75% were women. Experiencing racial discrimination had a positive direct effect on obesity (Healthy DP: β= 0.153, p<0.05; Brazilian DP: β= 0.156, p<0.05; Sugar and Carbohydrates DP: β= 0.156, p<0.05; and Fast-food DP: β= 0.153, p<0.05) and abdominal obesity (Healthy DP: β= 0.206, p<0.01; Brazilian DP: β= 0.210, p<0.01; Sugar and Carbohydrates DP: β= 0.204, p<0.01; and Fast-food DP: β= 0.204, p<0.01). The experience of racial discrimination did not have a direct effect on dietary patterns, nor did it exert an indirect effect on obesity and abdominal obesity through any dietary pattern. Conclusions: a higher experience of racial discrimination is associated with obesity and abdominal obesity, independent of diet.