CFS 453

Has the rate of obesity in Latino children increased over

generations?

Thao Tran
5/1/2017
Wanda Siu-Chan
Abstract:
Vast research has been done on obesity in the United States, but little is known about the
rate of obesity in Latino children within the first and second generation. Latino youth is the
largest growing minority population who are prevalence to future chronic disease. Childhood
obesity has long been a consequential condition that has a wide-range effect on a children’s
quality of life. Children with excess body fat have a higher risk of health complications and
psychological disorder which can contribute to poor mental health, low academic achievement
and difficulties with social adjustment. The purpose of this paper is to understand the means that
produce disparities in first and second generation Latino children. We will be focusing on the
contributing factors for the rising rates of obesity in Latino children. In addition to understanding
the issues and contributing factors, we will address implications for assessment, prevention, and
management.

Introduction:
Obesity does not only impact the way a person looks, but it has a strong hold on a
person’s life. It can set a person towards a life filled with health complications such as increasing
an individual’s risk for various health condition like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure,
dyslipidemia, and heart diseases. Adults are not the only group of people prone to obesity,
children as young as eight years old are also at risk. In fact, childhood obesity has been on the
rise since the early 70’s. Today, one in three children are either overweight or obese, which is
triple the rate in 1963 (American Heart Association, 2014).
When obesity starts in childhood, every organ system can be affected causing serious
issues. Childhood obesity causes abroad range of health and psychological effects. Obese
children are more prone to depression, low self-esteem, and body image issues. Children whose
body mass index is in the 95th percentile or higher are considered obese (American Heart
Association, 2014). Obesity can stem from many factor such as a poor diet, an unhealthy
lifestyle, genetics, age, and even lack of physical activity.
Childhood obesity, specifically among minority population, have manifested into an epidemic
over the years.
Latinos represent one of the largest minority group in the United States, with a youth
population that has been rapidly-growing since 2006 (Buttenheim, Pebley, Hsih, Chung, &
Goldman, 2013). As the number of Latino children increase, the prevalence of obesity rose from
28.2 to 36.9% in boys, and 25.5 to 32% in girls within the last decade (Aceves-Martins,
Llauradó, Tarro, Solà, & Giralt, 2016). Researchers at Penn State noted that Hispanic-origin
children have the highest obesity rates among all other ethnic groups. The risk of obesity in
Hispanic children correlate with their generation status – the number of generations their family
have been in the United States (Auman-Bauer, 2016). There is a correlation between
acculturation and migration that has been linked to the rate of obesity in Latino children over
generations.

Acculturation and Migration:

Geographic location has been acknowledged in present years as its own group of health-
related issues. First generation Latino-born children who immigrate to the United States have
decreased risk of health complication compared to second generation born Latino-Americans
born to immigrant parents (Perreira, &Ornelas, 2011). Latino-born children tend to stick to their
culture and traditions by consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, walking everywhere, and eating
homemade meals compared to the more acculturated Latino-Americans. When it comes to
physical activity Latino-born children watch less television and spend more time outside playing
compared to Latino-American children who spend much of their time playing video games
inside the house (Perreira, &Ornelas, 2011). A study done in 2009 by the Journal of Community
Health reported that first generation children had a 19.4 percent prevalence to obesity. That
number later rose to 21.7 for second generation children.
When children acculturate to American society, they develop unhealthy habits such as
eating high caloric foods and not obtaining adequate physical activity. Immigrating to a new
country and trying to adapt to its culture, is challenging. Many first-generation immigrants hope
for a better life when they arrive in American but adapting to life in the United States can be
economically, physically, and mentally strenuous. First-generations enter a completely new
environment in which they and their children are bombarded with American behaviors –
smoking, drinking, low nutrient diets, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Food Environment:
The impact of food marketing on young children is conspicuous in the United States. On
average children ages two to seven watch 12 televised food commercials each day (Van Hook,
Kelly, & Baker, 2009). Latino-American children grow up with advertisements and opportunities
to buy and consume food is cheap and high caloric. The food commercials that these children see
on television are products high in fat, sugar, and sodium. Fast food chains urge children by
associating their food with toys, cartoon characters, and on-site restaurant playgrounds.
As Latino-American start to develop their own identity and separate from their parents,
they tend to seek acceptance from their peers. Doing so they integrate themselves into the culture
of fast food leading them down the path of obesity which is more prevalent in Latino-American
children of the second generation.
Latino-Americans youth tend to put on weight as they move away from traditional
dietary habits. Latino-born children consume significantly more servings of fruits and vegetables
and fewer sugary beverages per day than Latino-Americans (Buttenheim, Pebley, Hsih, Chung,
& Goldman, 2013). They have a tradition diet which includes beans, corn, rice, pork, fish, fresh
fruit and vegetables. First generations have an early exposure to traditional food which help them
develop a preference for those specific foods. In countries like Mexico, fast food chains are
expensive which helps prevent children from consuming low nutrient, high caloric foods.

Prevention:
It is apparent that both the first and second generation of Latinos suffer from obesity
when migrating and acculturating to American norms. To decrease the rising risk of obesity,
there needs to be an intervention for this demographic. Obesity patterns among first and second
generations of Latino children will follow them into adulthood, and will create health
complications. Without prevention, high prevalence of obesity will continue and serve as a
serious health issue for future populations (Aceves-Martins, Llauradó, Tarro, Solà, & Giralt,
2016).
Implementation of prevention can include health programs and policies that encourage
behavioral change. First, we must understand how Latino-American view obesity as a health
issue. Establishing a foundation of knowledge can help to empower and provide information that
will support all generation to incorporate a healthier way of life. In addition, understanding their
culture will allow health care experts to analyze and establish better nutritional programs that
caters to their specific needs. Strategies that focus on healthy meals, nutrition education, outdoor
and home activities, family involvement, extracurricular, and community support should be
encouraged. Obesity prevention should not only include young children and their parents but also
health care professional, schools, policy makers, and the community to ensure substantial
effectiveness that will impact long-term obesity reduction (Aceves-Martins, Llauradó, Tarro,
Solà, & Giralt, 2016)

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the rate of obesity in Latino children has slightly increase over
generations. Evidence has mounted that second-generation Latino suffer from peer pressure,
media, and the craze of fast food. Drastic changes in lifestyle that Latinos immigrants encounter
upon arriving to a new country can often increase their risk for health consquences.
Although there are many factors that play a role in childhood obesity, additional research
needs to be done to confidently pronounce a strong correlation between first and second
generations with childhood obesity. Studies should further examine the barriers that Latino-
American children encounter and why maintaining a native diet is such a challenge.
While most Latino-born children arrive to the United States with good health, this
advantage withers over time as migration and acculturation take hold. The rising obesity
prevalence in the United States is unavoidable to combat this rising issue, we must focus our
attention on reducing future disparities and promote outreach programs that ensure Latinos
children have available services.
 References

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