Lifting the lid on geographic complexity in the relationship between body mass index and education in China

Maigeng Zhou; Xiaoqi Feng; Jiang Yong; Yichong Li; Mei Zhang; Andrew Page; Thomas Astell-Burt; Wenhua Zhao

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.02.012

Lifting the lid on geographic complexity in the relationship between body mass index and education in China

Maigeng Zhou, Xiaoqi Feng, Jiang Yong, Yichong Li, Mei Zhang, Andrew Page, Thomas Astell-Burt, Wenhua Zhao

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In China, rising obesity has coincided with increasing affluence. Few studies have properly accounted for geographic variation, however, which may influence prior results. Using large data with biomarkers in China, we show body mass index (BMI) to be positively correlated with higher person-level education if estimated using ordinary least squares. In stark contrast, fitting the same data within a multilevel model gives the complete opposite result. We go on to show that the relationship between BMI and person-level education in China is dependent upon geography, underlining why multilevel modelling is crucial for revealing these types of people-place contingencies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-5
Number of pages	5
Journal	Health and Place
Volume	46
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.02.012
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017

Keywords

China
body mass index
education
geography
health literacy
multilevel models (statistics)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.02.012

Cite this

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title = "Lifting the lid on geographic complexity in the relationship between body mass index and education in China",

abstract = "In China, rising obesity has coincided with increasing affluence. Few studies have properly accounted for geographic variation, however, which may influence prior results. Using large data with biomarkers in China, we show body mass index (BMI) to be positively correlated with higher person-level education if estimated using ordinary least squares. In stark contrast, fitting the same data within a multilevel model gives the complete opposite result. We go on to show that the relationship between BMI and person-level education in China is dependent upon geography, underlining why multilevel modelling is crucial for revealing these types of people-place contingencies.",

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AU - Zhou, Maigeng

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AU - Yong, Jiang

AU - Li, Yichong

AU - Zhang, Mei

AU - Page, Andrew

AU - Astell-Burt, Thomas

AU - Zhao, Wenhua

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N2 - In China, rising obesity has coincided with increasing affluence. Few studies have properly accounted for geographic variation, however, which may influence prior results. Using large data with biomarkers in China, we show body mass index (BMI) to be positively correlated with higher person-level education if estimated using ordinary least squares. In stark contrast, fitting the same data within a multilevel model gives the complete opposite result. We go on to show that the relationship between BMI and person-level education in China is dependent upon geography, underlining why multilevel modelling is crucial for revealing these types of people-place contingencies.

AB - In China, rising obesity has coincided with increasing affluence. Few studies have properly accounted for geographic variation, however, which may influence prior results. Using large data with biomarkers in China, we show body mass index (BMI) to be positively correlated with higher person-level education if estimated using ordinary least squares. In stark contrast, fitting the same data within a multilevel model gives the complete opposite result. We go on to show that the relationship between BMI and person-level education in China is dependent upon geography, underlining why multilevel modelling is crucial for revealing these types of people-place contingencies.

KW - China

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KW - education

KW - geography

KW - health literacy

KW - multilevel models (statistics)

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ER -

Lifting the lid on geographic complexity in the relationship between body mass index and education in China

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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