Summary
Published Date: November 06, 2012
Is the immigrant advantage disappearing among Mexican-origin youth? For many years, Mexican adult immigrants newly arrived in the United States have been slimmer than their U.S.-born offspring but that health advantage could be disappearing.
Using California Health Interview Survey data, researchers found that young Mexican immigrants and second-generation Mexican-American men (ages 18–24) were more obese than the third and subsequent generations; the same was true for young first and second-generation Mexican-American women (ages 12–17). What has happened to the so-called immigrant advantage? As recently as 10 to 15 years ago, many studies suggested that Mexicans ate healthier foods than their northern neighbors. But studies are now revealing that Mexicans are adopting more of an American diet -- they are consuming more fats and processed foods. Researchers warn that rising obesity rates among Mexican-Americans should be a concern on both sides of the border, particularly since there will be more Latino than non-Hispanic white school children in the United States by 2050. Publication Authors:
- Alison M. Buttenheim
- Anne R. Pebley
- Katie Hsih
- Chang Y. Chung
- Noreen Goldman