The Context Of Nutrition and Obesity Among The Mexican-Origin Population

The rapid increase of overweight and obese individuals is a health concern around the world. Obesity is associated with adverse health risks for children and adults alike, such as cardiovascular disease, and cancer (World... [ view full abstract ]

The rapid increase of overweight and obese individuals is a health concern around the world. Obesity is associated with adverse health risks for children and adults alike, such as cardiovascular disease, and cancer (World Health Organization 2000). It is also a contributor to the increased frequency of coronary heart disease, hypertension, and Type II diabetes (Crow and Fawcett 1979). Among Mexican immigrants, the chances of gaining weight or becoming overweight and/or obese increase with time in the U.S. (Creighton et. al. 2012; Riosmena and Dennis 2012; Antecol and Bedard 2006). This follows the immigrant health paradox where immigrants, despite their demographic profile, are healthier than their U.S.-born counterparts (Markides and Coreil 1986). Over time, declining immigrant health outcomes may suggest acculturation at work. These studies on nutrition and obesity are dominated by the acculturation framework and criticized for underemphasizing the role of socioeconomic status (Lara et. al. 2005). Other limitations include proxy measures for acculturation, like English proficiency or time in the U.S., in quantitative studies (Ayala et. al. 2004; Guendelman et. al. 2013). However, using solely theses approaches misses the context and process tracing of interest. This research brings a sociological lens to questions regarding obesity and nutrition among the Latino community, specifically the Mexican-origin community. I pose the following question: how do individual- and structural-level factors mediate health and nutrition behaviors in the lives of the Mexican-origin population? The main objective of this study is to further understand the mechanisms through which nutrition and obesity operate among the Mexican-origin population in the U.S. by employing a qualitative approach. In order to incorporate the acculturation and socioeconomic hypotheses of past researchers, I compare the cases of Mexican immigrants and U.S.-born Mexican-origin individuals with variation in socioeconomic status (high and low). This data will come from a total of 25 in-depth interviews with Mexican-origin adults (immigrants and U.S.-born) conducted in the Bay Area during Fall and Winter 2015. The interviews cover topics such as food preferences, meal preparation, daily routines, grocery shopping, and comparisons to Mexico. Tentatively, interviews with immigrant respondents suggest barriers to healthy eating such as inflexible work schedules and high costs, but also perceived lower food quality in the U.S. compared to Mexico. The results may adjudicate between the acculturation and socioeconomic hypotheses for understanding the nutrition and weight trends of the Mexican-origin population.