The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #37998

Arturo Jiménez-Cruz, MD PhD¹, Montserrat Bacardi, MD EdD², Audrey Spindler, RD PhD³, Kenia Cazares-Zepeda, MD⁴, Perla Rosales-Garay, MD¹, Alberto Lara-Jimenez, MD⁴, and Isis Severino-Lugo⁴. (1) Master of Nutrition, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Tijuana), Calzada Tecnológico 14418, Tijuana, 22390, Mexico, 619 6568157, ajimenez@costa.tij.uabc.mx, (2) Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Calzada Tecnológico 14418, Tijuana, 22390, Mexico, (3) Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, (4) Medical School, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Calzada Tecnológico 14418, Tijuana, 14418, Mexico

The prevalence of obesity in American Indian children, using body mass index (BMI kg/m2) as the measure, has been documented in several surveys. Limited information exists on Mexican Indian children. Medical students and students at the Masters of Nutrition program used a portable scale, stadiometer and a measuring tape to determine the height, weight and waist circumference of all children first to fifth grades (N = 3D1767 = children; age range = 3D6 to 12 years) from five elementary Indian schools located in the US-Mexican border city, Tijuana, Mexico. The schools were participating in a nutrition education intervention program: La Manzana de la Salud. Most children were from four different ethnic groups, Nahautl, Purepecha, Miztecos and Zapotecos, and had migrated to the northern city from the Central Valley, Western, or South Mexico. BMI values were computed and compared to age/gender adjusted BMI percentiles from the US CDCP Growth Charts, because no population specific standards for Mexican Indian children exist.The BMI of 20% children was between 85th and 95th percentiles. And in 19% of the children, it exceeded 95th. In 23 % of the children, it exceeded 95th. Overall, 39% of those children were obese. These results suggest that better living conditions in urban areas increase the susceptibility to obesity, and that efforts should be addressed to make comprehensive prevention programs available. (*) This study was supported by a grant from BorderPact (CONAHEC).

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to identified, analyze and assess the implications of the prevalence of obesity and undernutrition among Indian-Mexican children emigrated to the US Mexican-border city, Tijuana, Mexico.

Keywords: Obesity, Immigrants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.