Obesity and Hispanic Americans

Among Mexican American women, 73 percent are overweight or obese, as compared to only 61.6 percent of the general female population.¹
In 2006, Hispanic Americans were 1.1 times as likely to be obese than Non-Hispanic Whites.
In 2003- 2004 Mexican American children, between the ages 6-11, were 1.3 times more likely to be overweight as Non- Hispanic White Children.
From 2001-2004, Mexican American women were 30% more likely to be overweight, as compared to Non-Hispanic Whites.

Age-adjusted percentage of overweight persons 20 years of age and over who are obese, 2003-2006. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Mexican American

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican American/ Non-Hispanic White

Men

29.5

32.4

0.9

Women

41.8

31.6

1.3

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 75.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are obese, 2006. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

Hispanics

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White

27.4

24.7

1.1

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 31.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are overweight but not obese, 2006. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

Hispanics

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White

39.6

34.5

1.1

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 31.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who are overweight or obese, 2003-2006. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Mexican American

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican American/ Non-Hispanic White

Men

75.8

71.8

1.1

Women

73.9

57.9

1.3

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 75.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

CHILDREN

Percentage overweight among children and adolescents 6–11 years of age, 2003–2006

n

Mexican American

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Girls

19.7

14.4

1.4

Boys

27.5

15.5

1.8

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 76.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

Percentage overweight among children and adolescents 6–11 years of age, 2001–2004

Mexican American

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Boys

25.3

18.5

1.5

Girls

19.4

16.9

1.1

Total

22.5

17.7

1.3

Source: Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007. Table HEALTH5.
http://www.childstats.gov/pdf/ac2007/ac_07.pdf[PDF, 2MB]

Overweight among children and adolescents 12 - 17years of age 2003 - 2004

Mexican American

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Boys

18.8

19.0

1.0

Girls

13.4

14.6

0.9

Total

16.3

16.9

1.0

Overweight Among children and adolescents 6 - 17years of age 2003 - 2004

Mexican American

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Boys

22.3

18.8

1.2

Girls

16.6

15.7

1.1

Total

19.6

17.3

1.1

Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about amount and kind of physical activity, United States, 2004

Hispanics

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White

36.2

32.4

1.1

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.79a.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about eating healthy, United States, 2004

Hispanics

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White

54.2

53.6

1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.80a.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

HEALTH IMPACT OF OBESITY

More than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. ²
People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, and LDL cholesterol ("a fatlike substance") -- all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.²
In 2005, Hispanic adults were 60% less likely to engage in active physical activity as Non-Hispanic Whites.

Physical Activity:

Inactive physical activity among adults 18 & over: 2006

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

53.4

35.3

1.5

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 73.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

Some Leisure Time Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2006

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

23.8

31.0

0.8

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 73.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

Regular Leisure Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2006

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

22.8

33.8

0.7

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 74.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

Percent of adults age 18 and over who were obese who were given advice about exercise, United States, 2004

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

44.7

62.6

0.7

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.63.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

Percent of adults age 18 and over who were obese who were given advice about eating fewer high fat or high cholesterol foods, United States, 2004

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

37.6

52.8

0.7

Source: 2006 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.64.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr06/index.html

Diabetes:

Age-adjusted percentages of physician-diagnosed diabetes among persons 20 years of age and over, 2003-2006 (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES)

Mexican

Non-Hispanic White

Mexican / Non-Hispanic White Ratio

12.4

6.4

1.9

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 54.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

Age-adjusted percentages of persons 18 years of age and over with diabetes, 2006 (National Health Interview Survey, NHIS)

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

10.5

6.7

1.6

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 8.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-Adjusted Diabetes Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Male

37.3

25.6

1.5

Female

30.5

18.4

1.6

Total

33.6

21.5

1.6

Source: CDC, 2008. National Vital Statistic Report. Vol. 56, Num 10 Table 17.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf[PDF, 2.3MB]

Heart Disease:

Age-adjusted percentages of coronary heart disease among persons 18 years of age and over, 2006

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/Non-Hispanic White Ratio

4.9

6.6

0.9

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-Adjusted Heart Disease Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

192.4

262.2

0.7

Women

129.1

170.3

0.8

Total

157.3

210.7

0.7

Source: CDC, 2008. National Vital Statistic Report. Vol. 56, Num 10 Table 17.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf[PDF, 2.3MB]

Stroke:

Age-adjusted percentages of stroke among persons 18 years of age and over, 2006

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

1.9

2.4

0.8

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-Adjusted Stroke Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

38

44.8

0.8

Women

33.5

44.4

0.7

Source: CDC 2008. Health United States, 2008. Table 36.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf[PDF, 12MB]

*NHOPI = Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

¹ Source: OWH http://www.4women.gov/minority/hispanicamerican/obesity.cfm
²Source: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2006/Obesity2006Report.pdf Exit Disclaimer

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Content Last Modified: 3/25/2009 3:53:00 PM