Abstract
U.S. Hispanics are disproportionately burdened by obesity and diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites. While risk for these conditions appears to increase with longer U.S. residence among Hispanic immigrants, it remains unclear exactly how, when, and for whom the cardiometabolic indices underlying these disorders change upon arrival to the U.S. This study used latent growth modeling to examine change in waist circumference (WC) related to change in insulin resistance (measured via the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, HOMA-IR) over an average 22-month follow-up in a sample of healthy Cuban immigrants assessed within 4 months of U.S. arrival (mean = 40.2 days). Men (n = 194, mean age = 37.1 years) and women (n = 174, mean age = 37.3 years) were analyzed separately. Analyses adjusted for age, days in U.S. prior to baseline, household income, and education. On average, WC increased in both men (0.032 cm per month, p = 0.055) and women (0.098 cm per month, p < 0.001). Lower household income at baseline was associated with greater WC increase in men (B = -0.020, p = 0.043) but not women, adjusted for baseline WC. Age, days in U.S., and education were not related to WC change in either men or women. Furthermore, change in WC was positively related to change in HOMA-IR in both men (B = 0.092, p = 0.001) and women (B = 0.048, p = 0.021), adjusted for baseline WC and HOMA-IR. Findings suggest that initially healthy Cuban immigrants exhibit increases in abdominal adiposity soon after arriving in the U.S., and that this rate of change is (1) about three times higher in female compared to male immigrants, and (2) associated with concurrent increases in insulin resistance. Future research aimed at further elucidating these trends - as well as identifying important environmental and psychosocial predictors - may inform optimal intervention approaches for reducing health disparities observed among Hispanics.