Obesity and Poverty in Delaware: The Need for Community Level Interventions

The study aimed to examine the community characteristics of vulnerable communities where obesity is one of the top three chronic conditions with the greatest disparity compared to the Delaware statewide obesity rate to demonstrate the need for community specific education and interventions.

The study is a secondary analysis using a subset of the CHAMG research project dataset and includes 47 vulnerable communities. The dataset included official data reported between 2019 and 2022 and abstracted from My Healthy Communities Delaware data portal and the IP3 data portal.

The study communities differed notably from Delaware's general population and from each other. The average poverty rate was greater (21% compared 11%) and the average obesity rate was greater (41% compared to 34%). The minority population in the study communities ranged from 6% to 93% Black and from 2% to 70% Hispanic. The average age ranged from 27 years old to 54 years old. The poverty rate ranged from 4% to 50%. Eleven (23%) of the vulnerable communities with obesity disparity were rural. Depression and heart disease ranked in the top three most disparate chronic conditions in at least half of the study communities and HPB in 36% of the study communities. Fewer community assets were identified in the study communities, including fewer medical professionals, lower rates of HBP management, and lower English proficiency.

Vulnerable communities with high rates of obesity differ from Delaware's general population. They have fewer community assets and greater prevalence of obesity-related chronic conditions. There is notable variation across the study communities, underscoring the need for community specific education and interventions.

Obesity is a key multi-solver health condition. Because obesity is correlated with other chronic conditions, mental health diagnoses, and well-being indicators, community specific obesity education and interventions will likely decrease obesity rates and improve other health and well-being conditions.