Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors for Spousal Resemblance in Obesity Status and Habitual Physical Activity in the United States
Table 2
Relative association and absolute similarity in weight status among the US married spouses, stratified by household/couple-level characteristics (MEPS 2006–2008).
$ of spouses
Absolute
Relative associations
(1) Similarity
(2) Pearson’s correlation coefficients
(3) Kappa coefficients between spouses weight status
(4) ORs between wife’s and husband’s obesity status
Mean BMI
BMI standard scores
Normal/overweight/obesity
Obesity
Husband
Wife
£
Partial †
95% CI
95% CI
OR†
95% CI
Whole sample
11254 (100%)
27.9
26.3
1.6
0.24
(0.21, 0.27)
0.107
(0.107, 0.108)
2.5
(2.2, 2.9)
Stratified by
Couple’s race/ethnicity
Both NH white(ref)
5758 (69%)
28.0
26.0
1.9
0.26
(0.22, 0.30)
0.102
(0.101, 0.102)
2.8
(2.3, 3.4)
Both NH black
1127 (7%)
29.0
29.2
−0.2
0.21
(0.14, 0.28)
0.059
(0.053, 0.066)
1.7
(1.2,2.3)
*
Both Hispanic
2646 (12%)
28.3
27.8
0.4
0.20
(0.14, 0.26)
0.099
(0.096, 0.102)
2.3
(1.8, 2.8)
Both were other
755 (5%)
25.4
23.5
1.9
0.29
(0.18, 0.41)
0.094
(0.085, 0.104)
3.4
(1.3, 9.1)
Interracial/ethnic
968 (7%)
28.0
26.1
1.9
0.14
(0.06, 0.23)
*
0.089
(0.079, 0.098)
1.8
(1.2, 2.8)
Couple’s mean age
<30 y
1540 (13%)
27.6
25.6
1.9
0.27
(0.19, 0.35)
0.090
(0.085, 0.095)
3.0
(2.1, 4.4)
30–39 y
3227 (26%)
28.1
26.3
1.8
0.28
(0.23, 0.34)
0.116
(0.114, 0.119)
2.9
(2.3, 3.7)
40–54 y
4241 (39%)
28.2
26.5
1.7
0.21
(0.16, 0.27)
0.116
(0.115, 0.118)
2.4
(1.9, 3.1)
≥55 years
2246 (22%)
27.4
26.4
1.0
0.20
(0.14, 0.27)
0.081
(0.078, 0.084)
1.9
(1.3, 2.8)
Physical activity
Both active
4629 (45%)
27.4
25.4
2.0
0.24
(0.20, 0.28)
0.102
(0.101, 0.103)
2.9
(2.4, 3.5)
Only husband active
2025 (18%)
27.6
27.4
0.2
***
0.23
(0.17, 0.29)
0.113
(0.108, 0.117)
2.8
(2.1, 3.8)
Only wife active
1438 (14%)
28.5
25.8
2.7
***
0.18
(0.10, 0.25)
*
0.052
(0.048, 0.056)
2.0
(1.4, 2.8)
Both inactive(ref)
3092 (24%)
28.7
27.5
1.2
0.28
(0.22, 0.33)
0.128
(0.126, 0.130)
2.3
(1.8, 2.8)
Family size
2 persons
3345 (34%)
27.5
25.8
1.7
0.20
(0.14, 0.26)
*
0.089
(0.087, 0.091)
2.1
(1.6, 2.8)
3-4 persons
5162 (47%)
28.0
26.4
1.6
0.24
(0.20, 0.28)
0.109
(0.107, 0.110)
2.6
(2.1, 3.1)
≥5 persons(ref)
2747 (18%)
28.5
27.0
1.4
0.30
(0.23, 0.36)
0.130
(0.127, 0.132)
3.1
(2.3, 4.0)
Employment condition
Both unemployed
873 (7%)
27.1
26.7
0.4
0.22
(0.11, 0.32)
0.075
(0.068, 0.083)
2.2
(1.4, 3.6)
Only husband unemployed
625 (5%)
28.0
26.9
1.1
0.09
(−0.01, 0.20)
**
0.053
(0.042, 0.063)
1.3
(0.7, 2.3)
**
Only wife unemployed
2835 (22%)
27.7
26.3
1.4
0.23
(0.18, 0.29)
0.109
(0.107, 0.112)
2.4
(1.8, 3.1)
Both employed(ref)
6899 (65%)
28.1
26.2
1.9
0.26
(0.22, 0.30)
0.115
(0.114, 0.116)
2.8
(2.3, 3.3)
Household income level
Poor/near poor (<1.25 poverty line)
1611 (8%)
28.0
27.6
0.3
0.25
(0.18, 0.32)
0.107
(0.102, 0.112)
2.3
(1.8, 3.1)
Low income (1.25–2.0 poverty line)
1564 (10%)
27.9
27.4
0.5
0.26
(0.18, 0.33)
0.092
(0.087, 0.097)
2.5
(1.8, 3.4)
Middle income (2.0–4.0 poverty line)
3545 (32%)
28.2
27.0
1.2
0.25
(0.19, 0.30)
0.117
(0.115, 0.119)
2.6
(2.1, 3.2)
High income (≥4.0 poverty line)
4534 (50%)
27.7
25.5
2.3
0.23
(0.19, 0.27)
0.102
(0.101, 0.104)
2.6
(2.1, 3.2)
Receiving food stamp last year
Yes
705 (3%)
28.5
29.2
−0.6
**
0.27
(0.17, 0.37)
0.162
(0.153, 0.171)
3.0
(2.0, 4.5)
No(ref)
10549 (97%)
27.9
26.2
1.7
0.24
(0.21, 0.27)
0.105
(0.104, 0.105)
2.5
(2.2, 2.9)
Couple-level analysis: obesity: BMI ≥ 30; overweight: 30 > BMI ≥ 25.
$The sum of numbers among categories may not add up to 11254 due to missing data. Testing for cross strata difference, compared to the referent stratum: * < 0.05; ** < 0.01; *** < 0.001. (ref): the referent stratum. £: difference in BMI = (husband’s BMI − wife’s BMI). †Adjusted for individual level variables, including husband’s and wife’s ages, education years, race/ethnicity, physical activity, smoking, individual income, employment status, survey year, indicator of respondent, and missingness indicators.
