Mexican Americans, Health of

Abstract

Mexican American health has several paradoxical characteristics. Despite having the highest disparities in healthcare access, facing several socioeconomic problems, and having a higher risk of certain pathologies such as diabetes and obesity, the life expectancy and mortality rates of Mexican Americans are better than those of non‐Hispanic whites. Several explanations of this phenomenon, known as the “Hispanic paradox,” have been proposed including data artifacts, migration patterns, and immigrants beliefs and behaviors.