• Laura J Samuel, Dennison HimmelfarbCheryl RCRJohns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, 525 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: cdennis4@jhu.edu., Moyses Szklo, Teresa E Seeman, Sandra E Echeverria, and Ana V Diez Roux.
• Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, 525 N Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: lsamuel@jhmi.edu.
• Prev Med. 2015 Feb 1; 71: 61-6.

ObjectiveAlthough engagement in social networks is important to health, multiple different dimensions exist. This study identifies which dimensions are associated with chronic disease risk behaviors.MethodsCross-sectional data on social support, loneliness, and neighborhood social cohesion from 5381 participants, aged 45-84 from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis was used.ResultsAfter adjusting for individual characteristics and all social engagement variables, social support was associated with lower smoking prevalence (PR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.94), higher probability of having quit (PR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06) and a slightly higher probability of achieving physical activity recommendations (PR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06). Neighborhood social cohesion was associated with very slightly higher probability of achieving recommended (PR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.05) or any regular (PR=1.0, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04) physical activity, and a higher probability of consuming at least five daily fruit and vegetable servings (PR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.09).ConclusionsBoth social support and neighborhood social cohesion, a less commonly considered aspect of social engagement, appear to be important for chronic disease prevention interventions and likely act via separate pathways.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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