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Higher Risk for Obesity Among Mexican–American and Mexican Immigrant Children and Adolescents than Among Peers in Mexico

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Abstract

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1,717 children and adolescents of Mexican origin ages 5–19 years living in Mexico and Texas to explore the influence of country of birth and country of longest residence on their overweight and obesity status. Descriptive statistics were used to compare demographic and anthropometric characteristics of participants born and raised in Mexico (Mexicans), born in Mexico and raised in the United States (Mexican immigrants), and born and raised in the United States (Mexican–Americans). Univariate and multivariate nominal logistic regression was used to determine the demographic predictors of obesity adjusted by country of birth, country of residence, age, and gender. Almost half (48.8%) of the Mexican–Americans and 43.2% of the Mexican immigrants had body mass index at the 85th percentile or above, compared to only 29.3% of the Mexicans (P < .001). Thus, Mexican–Americans and Mexican immigrants were more likely to be obese than their Mexican peers [Mexican–Americans: odds ratio (OR) = 2.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8–3.4); Mexican immigrants: OR = 2.2 (95% CI 1.6–3.0)]. In addition, males were more likely than females to be obese [OR = 1.6 (95% CI 1.2–2.1)], and adolescents 15–19 years of age were less likely than their younger counterparts [OR = 0.5 (95% CI 0.4–0.7)] to be obese. The high prevalence of obesity among children of Mexican origin in the United States is of great concern and underscores the urgent need to develop and implement obesity preventive interventions targeting younger children of Mexican origin, especially newly arrived immigrant children. In addition, future obesity research should take into consideration the country of origin of the study population to develop more culturally specific obesity interventions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the participants from the 3 studies for their cooperation and participation in the research. We also thank the staff of the studies for their collaboration in the conduct of the research, and Ms. Stephanie Deming from the Department of Scientific Publications, MD Anderson Cancer Center for her editorial comments. This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health ([NCMHD P60-MD000503 (MAHV) and CA126988 (AVW)]; the Fulbright Scholarship Program (MAHV); the Caroline W. Law Fund for Cancer Prevention (MLB); funds collected pursuant to the Comprehensive Tobacco Settlement of 1998 and appropriated by the 76th legislature to MD Anderson Cancer Center (MLB); the Comisión Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (EHC); the Comisión Mexiquense de Ciencia y Tecnología (EHC); the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (LPBM and EHC), and the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (EHC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Research on Minority Health, Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Herman Pressler, Unit 1440, Houston, TX, 77230, USA

    María A. Hernández-Valero

  2. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico

    L. Patricia Bustamante-Montes

  3. Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Mike Hernández

  4. Jefatura de Enseñanza, Centro Médico “Licenciado Adolfo López Mateos”, México, DF, Mexico

    Elizabeth Halley-Castillo

  5. Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Anna V. Wilkinson & Melissa L. Bondy

  6. Department of Educational Psychology, The University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Norma Olvera

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  1. María A. Hernández-Valero
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  2. L. Patricia Bustamante-Montes
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  3. Mike Hernández
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  4. Elizabeth Halley-Castillo
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  5. Anna V. Wilkinson
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  6. Melissa L. Bondy
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  7. Norma Olvera
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Correspondence to María A. Hernández-Valero.

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Hernández-Valero, M.A., Bustamante-Montes, L.P., Hernández, M. et al. Higher Risk for Obesity Among Mexican–American and Mexican Immigrant Children and Adolescents than Among Peers in Mexico. J Immigrant Minority Health 14, 517–522 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-011-9535-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-011-9535-9

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