Early Childhood Disadvantage for Sons of Mexican Immigrants: Body Mass Index Across Ages 2–5

This study shows early childhood disadvantage for sons of Mexican immigrants and why these ethnic disparities emerge. Check it out.

Access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4767705/

Early Childhood Disadvantage for Sons of Mexican Immigrants- Body Mass Index Across Ages 2

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Findings:

Young sons of Mexican immigrants have a higher BMI than white children. This difference emerges close to the start of kindergarten. Indeed, childhood is a critical period for the exacerbation of health disadvantages for Mexican-heritage sons of foreign mothers. Children from Mexican immigrant families are less likely to receive centre-based care, this could potentially explain the different experienced across ethic groups at this age.

Given this, interventions should target this population prior to their increased risk at age 4.5 years.

Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation

Authors:

Elizabeth Lawrence, MA., Stefanie Mollborn, PhD., Fernando Riosmena, PhD.