According to NHANES (“National Health And Nutrition Examination Surveys”), in 2005 and 2006 around 16% of Hispanic children between 3 to 15 years are recorded as over weighed. But according to 2009 surveys the overweight group is increased to 34% and 13% of the children are marked as obese. The main reasons for this in the US is due to the excess food intake and the sedentary lifestyle.
Reasons for Obesity Among Hispanic Children
Generally US environment encourages sedentary lifestyle, especially for Hispanic children. But there are many other childhood obesity risk factors among Hispanic population, they are
- Low Socioeconomic Status (SES)
- Parental obesity
- Recent migration to the US
- Limited insurance coverage (for health)
- Acculturation to US lifestyle and diet
Studies on Obesity Among Hispanic Children
CNRC (Children’s Nutrition Research Center) in association with SWFBR (Southwest Foundation of Biomedical Research ) started a five year study called “VIVA LA FAMILIA” in other words “Long Live the Family”, it was designed for identifying the genetical and environmental factors that are contributing for the childhood obesity in Hispanic children. This is the first investigation ever made on the Hispanic population.
VIVA LA FAMILIA Research Procedure
There will be an in depth physiologic and metabolic testing for the children and there parents, it is performed in three phases in the Metabolic Research Unit of CNRC.
First Phase Involves
- Parents and children are checked for height and weight
- Body temperature, blood pressure and heart rates are noted
- Blood will be collected from the parents for genetic analysis
- Children will have an exercise test to know the oxygen rates used, an indicator for physical fitness.
- Both parents and children will be having body compositions scan with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry for measuring body fat and lean tissues.
Second Phase
- Children’s energy expenditures are measured by placing them in a sealed chamber, the chamber will have many games and entertainment units and basic commodities
- Blood samples are taken to do the biochemical and genetic analysis
- In the end of first day tests, children will be given an accelerometer monitor to wear. It is secured on a belt for measuring their physical activity in the next three days.
Third Phase
- This is the final phase that takes place after an year.
- Children’s body composition along with height and weight will be measured again.
- After the results, with this phenotype information on hand different things like genetic patterns, body fat, gain in weight, and many other factors are analysed.
