Immigrant Generation and Diabetes Risk Among Mexican Americans: The Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging

Abstract

Objectives We examined whether acculturation and immigrant generation, a marker for assimilation, are associated with diabetes risk in an aging Mexican-origin population. Methods We analyzed data on 1789 adults aged 60 to 101 years from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging. We ascertained type 2 diabetes on the basis of diabetic medication use, self-report of physician diagnosis, or a fasting glucose of 126 milligrams/deciliter or greater. Logistic regression modeled prevalent diabetes. Results Adjusting for age and gender, we observed significant but divergent associations between immigrant generation, acculturation, and diabetes risk. Relative to first-generation adults, second-generation adults had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4, 2.4) and third-generation adults had an OR of 2.1 (95% CI = 1.4, 3.1) of having diabetes. Greater US acculturation, however, was associated with a slightly decreased diabetes rate. In the full model adjusting for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, the association between generation (but not acculturation) and diabetes remained significant. Conclusions Our study lends support to the previously contested notion that assimilation is associated with an increased diabetes risk in Mexican immigrants. Researchers should examine the presence of a causal link between assimilation and health more closely.

Duration of US Residence Is Associated With Overweight Risk in Filipino Immigrants Living in New York Metro Area

“…18,63 In this regard, our study lends support to the notion of “unhealthy assimilation. 15 Relating our findings to global changes in lifestyles and patterns in obesity and diabetes, may help elucidate some of the causal pathways implicated in this process of unhealthy assimilation.…”

Prevalence of Diabetes among Migrant Women and Duration of Residence in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross Sectional Study

“…Explanations for this difference include the possible effect of heritage cultural influences on body image, food choices and physical activity [34]. Alternatively, measurement and definition of acculturation may be the reason since in a longitudinal study of older Mexican immigrants in the United States, immigrant generation (having foreign-born parents) but not length of residence was associated with diabetes [35]. That said, in our study we found a significant association between acculturation (measured by length of residence) and diabetes in migrant women.…”

Association Between Immigration History and Inflammatory Marker Profiles Among Older Adult Mexican Americans

“…Participants were classified as: first generation Mexican-origin immigrant if they were foreign-born; second generation if they were US-born with at least one foreign-born parent; and third generation or higher if the participant and their parents were US-born. Second and third generation immigrants have been shown to have disparate risk of disease and exposure to social mobility; therefore, categorized separately (Afable-Munsuz et al, 2013; Haan et al, 2011). First generation Mexican-origin immigrants were further classified according to their duration of residence in the US: <15 years and ≥15 years (Creighton et al, 2012).…”

“…However, this health advantage appears to diminish in offspring born in later generations and with longer US residence, despite improvements in protective health factors, including health insurance coverage and health care utilization. (Afable-Munsuz et al, 2013; Isasi et al, 2015; Kershaw et al, 2016a; Lara et al, 2005; Le-Scherban et al, 2016). For example, a recent study of immigrant generation and type 2 diabetes risk showed greater risk of diabetes among second and third generation Mexican-origin immigrants (highest among 3 rd generation immigrants) than first generation Mexican-origin immigrants, independent of sociodemographic factors including medical insurance (Afable-Munsuz et al, 2016).…”

“…Several studies have examined the influence of nativity and duration of US residence on cardiometabolic health outcomes in Mexican-origin immigrants (Dinwiddie et al, 2014; Kershaw et al, 2016a; Le-Scherban et al, 2016; Afable-Munsuz et al, 2013). While these health outcomes are important to study in their own right, it is of interest to analyze early markers of disease to better assess the changing physiological profile that may be altered in response to immigration history and life experiences in the US.…”