Study Finds Latino Teens in Fresno More Likely To Be Overweight
Latino teenagers in Fresno are almost twice as likely to be overweight as other teenagers, according to a study of Fresno Unified School District students, the Sacramento Bee reports. The study examined the prevalence of obesity among 10- to 16-year-old students across different racial and ethnic groups and found that 27% of Fresno's Latino students were in the highest overweight category, compared to 16% of white and Asian-American students. In the category of 12- to 13-year-old males, nearly 35% of the Latino students were obese. Poverty, poor education and lack of access to health care, "all problems associated with the San Joaquin Valley's large Latino population," are factors that contribute to the obesity trend, the Bee reports. Dr. Phyllis Preciado, author of the study and a member of the advisory committee for the National Hispanic Medical Association, said new techniques are needed to promote a healthier lifestyle among Latinos. NHMA helps local Latino students to compete for admission to medical school and tries to involve Latino medical students in internships and residencies in the San Joaquin Valley. Preciado intends to follow up on the study with "a more in-depth evaluation" of Sunnyside High School ninth graders to identify students susceptible to diabetes, the Bee reports (Doyle, Sacramento Bee, 3/20).
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