Educational Attainment and Exercise Frequency in American Women; Blacks’ Diminished Returns

Abstract

Background: Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) refer to smaller protects health effects of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators for Blacks and other minority groups than Whites. Objectives: The current study aimed to explore Black- White differences in the association between educational attainment and exercise frequency among women in the US. Methods: For the current study, we used the National Survey of American Life’s (NSAL) data which included 3,175 women who were either White (n = 876) or Black (n = 2,299). The independent variable was educational attainment. The dependent variable was exercise frequency. Age, region, household income, financial distress, marital status, unemployment, and depression were the covariates. Race was the focal moderator. Linear regression was applied for data analysis. Results: In the overall sample of women, high educational attainment was associated with higher exercise frequency (b = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.02−0.12). Race and educational attainment showed a significant interaction (b = −0.09, 95% CI = −0.19−0.00), suggestive of a smaller effect of education attainment on exercise frequency for Black women than White women. In race specific models, high educational attainment was associated with higher exercise frequency for White (b = 0.12, 95% CI =0.04−0.20) but not Black (b = 0.03, 95% CI = −0.03−0.08) women. Conclusion: In line with the past research on MDRs, White women gain more health from their educational attainment than Black women. It is not race or class but race and class that shape the health behaviors of American women.

Socioeconomic Status and Current Cigarette Smoking Status: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns

“…This finding is an extension of previous literature on MDRs 23,24 on diminishing returns of education, 35 income, [26][27][28][29][30] occupation, 31,32 and marital status 47 on a wide range of mental health outcomes such as psychological distress, 53 depression, 27,54 suicide, 33 and anxiety. 47 Similar MDRs are reported for smoking, 10,41,45,55,56 vaping, 39 drinking, 40,57 diet, 58 and exercise, 13 Finally, MDRs are seen for physical health outcomes such as obesity, 35,36 self-rated health, 26,34,53 chronic diseases, 28,29,37 disability, 59 and mortality. 38 Not only educational attainment 34 and income, 28 but also occupation, 38 and marital status 47 all generate less health for the majority than marginalized people.…”

Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns

“…46 These MDRs go beyond physical health outcomes and extend to behavioral outcomes such as vaping, 33 smoking, 35,42,44,56,57 drinking, 34,58 diet, 59 and exercise. 11 Finally, MDRs are seen for physical health outcomes such as obesity, 36,37 self-rated health, 23,32,54 CMCs, 25,26,38 disability, 60 and mortality. 39 Moreover, it is not just income; 25 educational attainment, 32 occupation, 39 and marital status 46 all generate less health for the majority than for marginalized people.…”

Association of Educational Attainment and Race/Ethnicity With Exposure to Tobacco Advertisement Among US Young Adults

“…Weaker-than-expected associations of health outcomes with socioeconomic status indicators are not limited to tobacco outcomes and have been documented for diet, 73 exercise, 74 obesity, 42,75 depression, 76 anxiety, 77 self-rated health, 19,24 and health care use, 78 and have been described in children, 70 youths, 79,80 adults, 20 and older adults. 81 Similar patterns are also shown for marginalizing social identities other than race/ethnicity, 17,19,42,71,82,83 such as sexual orientation.…”