Overweight and obesity among North American Indian infants, children, and youth

Abstract

The frequency of overweight and obesity among North American Indian children and youth exceeds that of other ethnic groups in the United States. This observation is based on studies using body mass index as the primary measure of overweight and obesity. In the mid-20th century, there were regional differences among North American Indian groups in sub-adults’ size and shape and only a few Southwestern groups were characterized by high rates of overweight and obesity. In most populations, the high prevalence of overweight and obesity developed in the last decades of the 20th century. Childhood obesity may begin early in life as many studies report higher birth weights and greater weight-for-height in the preschool years. Contributing factors include higher maternal weights, a nutritional transition from locally caught or raised foods to store bought items, psychosocial stress associated with threats to cultural identity and national sovereignty, and exposure to obesogenic pollutants, all associated to some degree with poverty. Obesity is part of the profile of poor health among Native Americans in the US and Canada, and contributes to woefully high rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and early mortality. Interventions that are culturally appropriate are needed to reduce weights at all points in the lifespan.

Body fatness in relation to physical activity and selected socioeconomic parameters of adolescents aged 15–17 years in Merida, Yucatan

“…Rates range from less than 2% in Sub-Saharan Africa to over 30% in America, especially in the US and Mexico (Lobstein et al, 2004). A recent review displayed that adolescent Native Americans (Indians, Metis, Aleut, Inuit) had higher rate of excess weight (OW and OB) relative to the general population (Schell & Gallo, 2012). This study suggested that excess weight among American Indian children and youth might be the result of multi-generational transmission of OW and OB through centuries.…”

Nutritional epigenetics with a focus on amino acids: implications for the development and treatment of metabolic syndrome

“…For example, in the United States, approximately forty percent of women are overweight or obese [36]. Results of epidemiological research indicate that children from mothers who are obese during pregnancy may not only face a high risk of premature mortality from cardiovascular disease but may also be more susceptible to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and metabolic abnormalities in their adult life [37][38][39]. Moreover, studies also indicate that obese gestating women are more likely to give birth to children who have high risks for atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and asthma when they reach adulthood [40,41].…”

Dietary patterns of Akwesasne Mohawk adolescents

“…We have previously observed in this sample of adolescents that the mean BMI of the youths (10-16 years of age) significantly exceeds the 50th percentile of the CDC reference population (Gallo et al, 2005;Schell & Gallo, 2012). In fact, the mean BMI lies between the 85th and 90th percentile across all ages and both sexes.…”