Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2018 Jan;61(1):118-126. 10.5468/ogs.2018.61.1.118.

Acculturation and body mass index among marriage-based immigrant Vietnamese women in Korea

• Lee DE
• Lee JE
• Park SY
• Chung HW

• KMID: 2420160
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5468/ogs.2018.61.1.118

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to analyze the association of socioeconomic factors, acculturation, and body mass index (BMI) as the first large prospective cohort study to determine the state of health of Vietnamese-born migrant women residing in Korea.
METHODS
Participants were Vietnamese marriage-based immigrant women living in Korea. Data (n=1,066) was collected during both periods of baseline (2006-2011) and follow-up (2012-2014) in 34 cities in Korea.
RESULTS
The results show that acculturation stress is relatively low among participants. Current BMI showed a significant difference according to the current age, monthly family income, and psychophysical stress. Depending on age, education level, monthly family income, we identified a significant difference in the annual BMI change. In correlation analysis, current BMI was significantly associated with age at arrival, reading and writing in Korean language adaptation, and psychophysical stress. Annual BMI change was significantly associated with age at arrival and years since immigration.
CONCLUSION
Our analysis revealed that acculturation measured by Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students had no association with current BMI or annual BMI change, but had an association with several socioeconomic statuses. This study had the advantage that subjects had a homogenous background of marriage-based immigrant women, so we could see the association of BMI and acculturation, without considering cofounding factors.

Keyword

Immigrants; Women's health; Acculturation; Body mass index

MeSH Terms

Acculturation*
Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
Body Mass Index*
Cohort Studies
Education
Emigrants and Immigrants*
Emigration and Immigration
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Korea*
Prospective Studies
Social Class
Socioeconomic Factors
Transients and Migrants
Women's Health
Writing

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