Does the Immigrant Advantage in Overweight/Obesity Persist over Time in Mexican American Youth? NHANES 1988‐1994 to 2005‐2014. Issue 6 (23rd May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maldonado, Luis E.; Albrecht, Sandra S.
• Is Part Of: Obesity. Volume 26:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 1057
• Page End: 1062
• Publication Date: 2018-05-23
• Subjects: Obesity -- Periodicals; 616.398005
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.22178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1930-7381

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To examine whether the relationship between nativity and overweight/obesity has changed over time among Mexican American children and to investigate the implications of this pattern on overweight/obesity disparities relative to non‐Hispanic white children. Methods: Using cross‐sectional data from Mexican American and non‐Hispanic white children aged 4 to 17 years participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1988‐1994 [ N = 4, 720] and 2005‐2014 [ N = 7, 275]) log‐binomial regression was used to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) of overweight/obesity by nativity status adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, survey period, and a nativity‐by‐survey period interaction. A separate covariate‐adjusted model tested a three‐level interaction between ethnicity, nativity, and survey period that included non‐Hispanic white children. Results: In 1988‐1994, foreign‐born Mexican Americans had significantly lower prevalence of overweight/obesity compared with US‐born Mexican Americans (PR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61‐0.94). However, by 2005‐2014, the nativity gap in overweight/obesity had closed (PR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.84‐1.07). Moreover, while foreign‐born Mexican Americans had the lowest levels of overweight/obesity in 1988‐1994, by 2005‐2014, foreign‐born and US‐born Mexican Americans had comparable estimates, both significantly higher than that of non‐Hispanic white individuals. Conclusions: Although overweight/obesity disparities between Mexican Americans and non‐Hispanic white Americans had previously been specific to US‐born Mexican Americans, disparities in more recent years have extended to foreign‐born Mexican Americans.