Weight status of Mexican immigrant women: A comparison with women in Mexico and with US-born Mexican American women

S.D. Guendelman, M.L. Ritterman-Weintraub, L.C.H. Fernald and M. Kaufer-Horwitz

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 9, 1634-1640

Abstract: Objectives. We assessed the association between birthplace, residence, or years in the United States and actual weight (body mass index), perceived weight accuracy, or provider screens for overweight or obesity among Mexican immigrant women. Methods. We used linked data from Health and Nutrition Examination Survey waves 2001-2006 and 2006 National Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey to compare 513 immigrants with 9527 women in Mexico and 342 US-born Mexican American women. Results. Immigrants were more likely than women in Mexico to be obese and to perceive themselves as overweight or obese after adjustment for confounders. Recent immigrants had similar weight-related outcomes as women in Mexico. Immigrants were less likely to be obese than were US-born Mexican Americans. Within the overweight or obese population, reported provider screens were higher among immigrants than among women in Mexico, but lower than among US-born Mexican Americans. US residency of at least 5 years but less than 20 years and reporting insufficient provider screens elevated obesity risk. Conclusions. Mexican-origin women in the United States and Mexico are at risk for overweight and obesity. We found no evidence of a "healthy immigrant" effect.

Keywords: adult; age; article; body mass; chi square distribution; comparative study; ethnology; female; Hispanic; human; Mexico; middle aged; migration; nutrition; obesity; risk factor; socioeconomics; statistical model; statistics; time; United States, Adult; Age Factors; Body Mass Index; Chi-Square Distribution; Emigrants and Immigrants; Female; Humans; Linear Models; Mexican Americans; Mexico; Middle Aged; Nutrition Surveys; Obesity; Overweight; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Time Factors; United States; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.301171_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301171

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