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Study Suggests Sons of Immigrants at High Risk for Overweight, Obesity
A report funded by the Foundation for Child Development suggests that the sons of immigrants to the United States are at a higher risk of obesity than their non-immigrant peers, The Washington Post reports. Led by a researcher at Pennsylvania State University, the report, “Moving to the Land of Milk and Cookies,” was based on an analysis of federal data tracking 21,000 children from kindergarten to eighth grade, one-quarter of whom were children of immigrants. Thirty-four percent of immigrants’ sons were overweight or obese as early as kindergarten, compared with just 25 percent of the sons of U.S. natives. By eighth grade, the numbers increased to 49 percent and 33 percent, respectively. There was no comparable discrepancy found among girls. The researchers note that the link was particularly pronounced among non-Hispanic white and Hispanic children, as well as those whose parents had limited English proficiency. Additionally, the researchers stated that income status was not to blame for the high rates of obesity observed among children of immigrants in the study. Researchers noted previous studies suggesting that an increased prevalence of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods in diets, the abundance of child-directed food marketing, and a general lack of awareness among immigrants of the health risks associated with junk food consumption could contribute to higher obesity rates among immigrants’ children. Acknowledging the “far-reaching negative consequences” associated with childhood obesity and overweight, the researchers call for “making wholesale changes in children’s environments that would benefit all children.” Specifically, the researchers recommend limiting or eliminating child-targeted advertising; establishing programs that promote physical activity among children; and altering school lunch programs to support healthy nutrition. Meanwhile, to reduce obesity among the children of immigrants, the researchers propose including diet and health education in family literacy classes that enroll newly arrived immigrant families (Bahrampour, Washington Post, 9/9/09 [registration required]; Van Hook et al., Migration Information Source, 9/1/09).