Introduction: Research showing Place of Birth (POB) predicts excess weight gain and obesity risk among Latino adults has not prompted similar research in Latino children, although childhood is a critical period for preventing obesity.
Methods: Longitudinal cohort observational study on public school children self-identified by parent/guardian as Latino in grades K-12 for school years 2006-07 through 2016-17 with measured weight and height (n= 570,172students; 3,10,3642observations). POB reported by parent/guardian was categorized as continental US (not NYC) (n=295,693), NYC (n=166,361), South America (n=19,452), Central America (n=10,241), Dominican Republic (n=57,0880), Puerto Rico (n=9,687) and Mexico (n=9,647). Age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles were estimated based on established growth charts. Data were analyzed in 2020.
Results: Prevalence of obesity was highest among US (non-NYC)-born girls (21%) and boys (27%), followed by NYC-born girls (19%) and boys (25%). Among girls, South Americans (9%) had the lowest prevalence of all levels of obesity, while Puerto Ricans (19%) and Dominicans (15%) had the highest prevalence. Among boys, South Americans also had the lowest prevalence of all levels of obesity (15%), while Puerto Ricans (22%) and Mexicans (21%) had the highest. In adjusted models, obesity risk was highest in US (non-NYC)-born children, followed by children born in NYC (p<0.001). Immigrant Latino children exhibited an advantage, particularly Dominicans, South Americans and Puerto Ricans, and even after controlling for individual and neighborhood sociodemographic features including linguistic isolation and poverty. Conclusions: The heterogeneity of obesity risk among Latino children highlights the importance of POB.