U.S.-born Latinos have higher rates of obesity compared to foreign-born Latino and white youth

Trends in pediatric obesity prevalence among community health center patients by Latino ethnicity and nativity, 2012-2020

2025-07-28

(Press-News.org) Background and Goal: Childhood obesity rates differ by ethnicity, yet data on nativity for Latino youth in primary care are limited. Researchers used community health center electronic health records (EHR) from 2012-2020 to track obesity trends by ethnicity and nativity and to test whether nativity is linked to obesity prevalence among patients aged 9-17 years.

Study Approach: Researchers examined EHR data for 147,376 children who visited 1,311 community-based health centers in 21 states. They divided the 2012-2020 span into four snapshots and, at every visit, noted whether a child’s body mass index placed them in the obesity range for their age and sex. Children were grouped as foreign-born Latino, U.S.-born Latino, or non-Hispanic White. Researchers compared obesity rates across groups while accounting for age, sex, insurance, household income, clinic-visit frequency, pregnancy, neighborhood disadvantage and state.

Main Results: The final sample size included 147,376 children across all periods; cross-section counts rose from 38,697 (2012-13) to 72,747 (2018-20).

U.S.-born Latino children had higher odds of obesity than non-Hispanic White peers in every period (aOR for U.S.-born Latino children across each period: 1.33 to 1.48).

Foreign-born Latino children never differed significantly from non-Hispanic White children.

Obesity prevalence increased over time in all three groups.

Why It Matters: The findings of this study reveal opportunities for primary care practices to further consider patients’ background and culture when addressing obesity and related disease prevention.

Trends in Pediatric Obesity Prevalence Among Community Health Center Patients by Latino Ethnicity and Nativity, 2012-2020

Jennifer A. Lucas, PhD, et al

Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon

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U.S.-born Latinos have higher rates of obesity compared to foreign-born Latino and white youth

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