STUDY: Each Generation of Mexican-American Children Gain Weight, 1st Generation Healthiest

In a study to be published in the Journal of Nutrition shows that first generation Mexican-American children are thinner and eat better than subsequent generations.

The study conducted by the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina had 2,300 Mexican-American youth ages 12 through 19 participate.  Experts believe first generation Mexican-Americans are closer to the traditional Mexican kitchen that is rich in meat, beans and fruit and vegetables.

According to the study:

Second-generation Mexican Americans were 2.5 times as likely to be obese as their first-generation peers; third-generation Mexican Americans were two times more likely to be obese.

The study found that 63 percent of the participants spoke some English; 21.5 percent spoke only English, and 16 percent spoke little English. Nearly 73 percent of the youth were second- or third- generation Mexican American.