Study traces roots of obesity in Hispanic children
Viva la Familia! , a new CNRC study, is helping to track
down the reasons why so many Hispanic children develop serious
weight problems.
"Obese children are more likely to suffer from additional
health problems like insulin-resistant diabetes, high blood
pressure, and orthopedic disorders," said Dr. Nancy Butte,
a CNRC energy expert and associate professor of pediatrics
at Baylor College of Medicine.
According to national statistics, childhood obesity in the
U.S. has increased in the past 10 years and is highest among
Hispanic boys and girls.
"Much has been written about children who are overweight,
but little is known about why Hispanic children in particular
tend to be more at risk for obesity," Butte said.
According to Butte, obesity can certainly be linked to environmental
factors such as diet and physical activity. "But, we
also know that some individuals are more prone to developing
obesity, and that obesity tends to run in families, which
suggests that genetic factors are also involved," she
said.
The study is open to Houston-area Hispanic families with
three or more children between the ages of 4 and 18. As part
of the study, children will be interviewed about their diets
and have ttheir physical fitness levels, metabolic rate, and
physical activity patterns measured. In addition, all family
members will have body composition measurements taken. They
will also be asked to provide small blood samples for genetic
screening, which will look for factors linked to obesity among
related individuals.
Butte believes that learning more about Hispanic children's
diet and physical activity habits could help improve programs
that treat obese Hispanic children and prevent obesity in
their siblings. The study's genetic screening results might
also aid in the development of tests that enable families
to take steps to prevent obesity in at-risk children.
"Identifying tools that help prevent childhood obesity
is critical," Butte said. "But just as importantly,
we need learn how to help obese children and their families
make permanent lifestyle changes that improve the child's
weight status."
Butte plans to incorporate the findings of Viva la Familia!
into future studies that develop effective treatment programs
for overweight Hispanic children.
"For many obese children, weight loss alone can reverse
health problems associated with obesity," she said.
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