Prevalence and Trends in Overweight in Mexican-American Adults and Children

Overweight and obesity have been increasing in many countries. Our objective is to describe the trends in overweight and obesity occurring in the Mexican-American population in the United States. Data on measured height and weight for Mexican Americans come from the following surveys: the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES, 1982-84), the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988-94), and NHANES 1999-2002. In 1999-2002, 73% of Mexican-American adults were overweight and 33% were obese. Obesity increased between NHANES III and NHANES 1999-2002, from 24% to 27% for men and from 35% to 38% for women. Increases were also seen for children and adolescents. The Mexican-American population in the United States, both children and adults, is showing trends in overweight and obesity over time that are similar to those seen in other segments of the U.S. population and indeed in many countries.