54
Mexican immigrant adolescents have the
highestweight in relation to their height
Although adolescence tends to be a healthy stage of
life, a number of 12 to 17-year-olds die of preventa-
ble causes, including accidents, suicides and violence.
Moreover, it is a stage duringwhich future behavioral
patterns are established, such as alcohol and cigaret-
te consumption as well as habits relating to diet and
physical activity, all practices that can contribute to
premature illnesses later in life that can undermine
qualityof lifeand lead toprematuredeath (ss, 2012).
Reaching a high body weight at an early age makes
it difficult to maintain an optimal weight at a later
age, which can cause a series of complications such
as metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, glucose
intolerance due to insulin resistance, obesity and car-
diovascular illnesses, amongothers.
Immigrants andAfricanAmericans have
thehighest likelihoodof lowbirthweights in
comparison tonon-HispanicUS-bornwhites
Lowbirthweightoften indicates insufficientornon-ex-
istent prenatal care, which candetect andmonitor the
nutritional state of the mother and identify risks for
her healthand thatofher child. Lowbirthweight isone
of the most important causes of neonatal mortality,
andhas negative repercussionson childdevelopment.
Low-weight births among Mexicans decreased
over the past decade, from 156 per thousand in
the first period (2004-2005) to 132 in the second
(2012-2013).While this is theonly immigrant group
that recorded a decrease, the disparity in compari-
son to non-Hispanic US-born whites is still 52 cases
per thousand. On the other hand, there is a worrying
increase of 21 cases per thousand among Central
Americans, though this is still slightly below the rate
forMexicans andAfricanAmericans (Figure38).
Note:
* For every1000 childrenunder 18yearswith lowweight birth.
Source: EstimatesbyCONAPO, basedon
National Health InterviewSurvey
(NHIS), 2004-2005, 2012-2013.
Figure38. Population living in theUnitedStateswith lowbirthweight,
by regionof originandethnicityor race, 2004-2005and2012-2013
migration & health •
mexican immigrants in the us: a 10 year perspective
