Youth Subjective Social Status (SSS) is Associated with Parent SSS, Income, and Food Insecurity but not Weight Loss Among Low‐Income Hispanic Youth

Abstract

Objective: Subjective social status (SSS), perceived rank in the social ladder, is associated with weight, but determinants of SSS in youth remain unknown. We investigated relationships between youth SSS and income, food insecurity, parent SSS, and BMI change during an obesity intervention. Methods: Data came from a family-centered, community-based obesity intervention for low-income families. Parent and youth SSS were assessed using a validated, age-appropriate SSS scale. Food insecurity and socioeconomic factors were assessed in parents; child and parent weight-related data were measured at baseline and post-intervention. Results: Participants included 110 primarily Hispanic (97%), low-income youth and their parents. Food insecurity was reported in 66.4% of families. Youth SSS was positively associated with parent SSS (p=0.0014). In both parents and children, the association between income and SSS was moderated by food insecurity such that lower income was more strongly associated with lower SSS among food insecure households (p=0.0286 and p=0.0327, respectively). Youth SSS was not associated with youth BMI reduction. Conclusions: Youth SSS was not predictive of weight loss in this intervention. Intriguingly, the association between income and SSS was modified by food insecurity, suggesting that food insecurity shapes the contribution of socioeconomic factors to one’s perceived social status.

Subjective social status is an important determinant of perceived stress among adolescents: a cross-sectional study

“…In the linear regression model, adjustments were made stepwise in major groups, which did not reveal which variable contributed the most to confounding. Subanalyses showed that self-rated health and SSS (SSS in school if the exposure was SSS in society and vice versa) were the main contributors to confounding (data not shown).Additionally, the FOCA cohort did unfortunately not provide data to include previously found potential confounders in adolescents populations as objective measures of SES and parent SSS [12,38].…”

The Relationship Between Youth Subjective Social Status (SSS) and Weight Loss

“…Cardel et al (1) found that the BMI percent of the 95th percentile among youth with overweight and obesity decreased significantly after 6 weeks of intervention. By choosing to report the BMI percent of the 95th percentile, the authors avoided the impracticality of using changes in BMI percentile among youth with extreme BMI (3).…”

“…The Relationship Between Youth Subjective Social Status (SSS) and Weight Loss Rena C. Moon TO THE EDITOR: Socioeconomic status (SES) is known to have an inverse relationship with childhood obesity; lower SES has been linked to higher prevalence of obesity and poorer weight loss after obesity interventions among children (1,2). However, evidence suggests that the effect of SES on childhood obesity is modified by other factors (i.e., race and gender), indicating a more complicated relationship between the two (2).…”

“…When SSS was factored in, Cardel et al (1) concluded that "youth SSS was not predictive of child weight loss outcomes," reporting "change in BMI percent of 95th percentile" and "child BMI z score change" as outcome variables. The authors used multiple logistic regression models to investigate their research question but did not specify the rationale or cutoff for dichotomizing the otherwise continuous outcome variables.…”

“…If the intervention was not effective in reducing BMI among participants overall, how would it be possible to show the effect of SSS in reducing BMI? Cardel et al (1) provide essential insights on youth SSS, along with its relationship with parent SSS, income, maternal education, and food insecurity. However, caution should be taken in concluding that youth SSS does not have an association with weight loss after an obesity intervention.O…”