Loss of a Healthy Weight Advantage Among Mexican-American Children

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
Although research indicates foreign-born Mexican-Americans possess a healthy weight advantage relative to U.S.-born Mexican-Americans, patterns are less clear for children and may be changing over time. The objective of this study was to examine whether the relationship between nativity and overweight/obesity has changed over time among Mexican-American children and to investigate the implications of this pattern on overweight/obesity disparities relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Using cross-sectional data from Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic white children ages 4-17 years participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1988-1994 (N=4,718) and 2005-2014 (N=7,269), the investigators used log-binomial regression to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) of overweight/obesity by nativity status adjusting for age, sex, householder marital status, householder education, survey period and a nativity by survey period interaction. The investigators also tested another covariate-adjusted model with a 3-level ethnicity-nativity variable that included Whites and an ethnicity-nativity by survey period interaction.

Official Title
-----------------
Loss of a Healthy Weight Advantage Among Foreign-born Children of Mexican Origin: Analysis of Overweight/Obesity Trends From 1988-1994 to 2005-2014

Conditions
-----------------
Overweight and Obesity

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Other: Nativity


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Mexican-Americans and white children who attended the clinical examination in NHANES III and the continuous NHANES Exclusion Criteria: Reported being pregnant

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 4 Years
Maximum Age: 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Foreign-born Mexican-Americans<br> | Other: Nativity<br>* Mexican-American children were subdivided into two groups based on their country of birth. Mexican-American children who were not born in the U.S. were considered foreign-born and those born in the U.S. were U.S.-born.<br>|
| US-born Mexican-Americans<br> | Other: Nativity<br>* Mexican-American children were subdivided into two groups based on their country of birth. Mexican-American children who were not born in the U.S. were considered foreign-born and those born in the U.S. were U.S.-born.<br>|
| non-Hispanic Whites<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| overweight/obesity | Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height2 (m2), and overweight/obesity was defined as a BMI at or above the age- and sex-specific 85th percentile based on the CDC's BMI-for-age growth charts (yes/no). | 1988-1994 and 2005-2014 |