Health-related behaviors and overweight: a study of Latino adolescents in the United States of America Conductas relacionadas con la salud y sobrepeso: estudio en adolescentes latinoamericanos residentes en los Estados Unidos de América

• Main Authors: Jorge Delva, Patrick M. O’Malley, Lloyd D. Johnston
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2007
• Subjects: Aculturación; hispanoamericanos; americanos mexicanos; sobrepeso; obesidad; clase social; factores socioeconómicos; Estados Unidos; Acculturation; Hispanic Americans; Mexican Americans; overweight; obesity; social class; socioeconomic factors; United States; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/2300fda1ab394e60b29bc490127a37f5

OBJECTIVES: This study examined, by gender, differences in being overweight among adolescents of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and other Latin American heritage who live in the United States of America, and investigated the relationships between these differences and socioeconomic status, health-related behaviors, and family characteristics. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey study obtained and analyzed data from nationally representative samples of Latino 8th and 10th graders in the Monitoring the Future study from 1991 to 2004 (N = 11 265). RESULTS: A higher proportion of Mexican-American girls were overweight than other Latin American girls, both before and after adjusting for many confounders. For both genders, being overweight was inversely associated with socioeconomic status and frequency of vigorous exercise, and positively associated with the amount of television viewing. No family characteristic variable examined was associated with overweight. CONCLUSIONS: Time spent exercising and time spent watching television are two potentially modifiable risk factors that, if targeted, may result in important reductions in overweight. The findings indicate the need to identify gender- and culturally-appropriate interventions that can increase physical activity and reduce sedentary activities among Latino adolescents, particularly in families of low socioeconomic status. OBJETIVOS: Analizar las diferencias, según el sexo, en el sobrepeso de adolescentes de origen mexicano, puertorriqueño y de otros países latinoamericanos que viven en los Estados Unidos de América e investigar la relación entre esas diferencias y el estatus socioeconómico, las conductas relacionadas con la salud y las características familiares. MÉTODOS: En este estudio transversal por encuesta se obtuvieron y analizaron los datos de muestras representativas para el país de estudiantes latinoamericanos del 8.° y 10.° grados del estudio Monitoring the Future de 1991 a 2004 (N = 11 265). RESULTADOS: Se observó una mayor proporción de niñas ...