Obesity - The Office of Minority Health

Obesity

Obesity and Hispanic Americans

Among Mexican American women, 77 percent are overweight or obese, as compared to only 64 percent of the non-Hispanic White women.
In 2015, Hispanic Americans were 1.2 times as likely to be obese than non-Hispanic whites.
From 2011-2014 Hispanic children were 1.8 times more likely to be overweight as non- Hispanic white children.
From 2015, Hispanic women were 30% more likely to be overweight, as compared to non-Hispanic whites.

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who are obese, 2011-2014. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
	Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White
Men	39.7	34.0	1.2
Women	45.0	35.3	1.3
Total	42.3	34.6	1.2

Source: CDC 2017. Health United States, 2016. Table 58.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus16.pdf [PDF | 11.14MB]

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are obese, 2015.
(Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
	Hispanics/Latinos	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanics/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men	31.6	30.1	1.0
Women	31.9	26.9	1.2
Total	31.8	28.5	1.1

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-15
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are overweight but not obese, 2015.
(Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
	Hispanics/Latinos	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanics/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men	43.3	38.9	1.1
Women	34.4	26.8	1.3
Total	38.9	32.9	1.2

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-15
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who are overweight or obese, 2011-2014. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
	Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White
Men	79.6	73.7	1.1
Women	77.1	63.5	1.2
Total	78.4	68.5	1.1

Source: CDC 2017. Health United States, 2016. Table 58.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus16.pdf [PDF | 11.14MB]

CHILDREN

**Percentage of obesity among children and adolescents 6-11 years of age, 2011-2014**
	Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Girls	24.1	14.4	1.7
Boys	25.8	13.0	2.0
Total	25.0	13.6	1.8

Source: CDC 2017. Health United States, 2016. Table 69.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus16.pdf [PDF | 11.14MB]

**Percentage of children and adolescents 6-17 years of age, 2011-2014**
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
24.3	17.1	1.4

Source: Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2017. Table HEALTH7.
http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables/health7.asp

**Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about amount and kind of physical activity, United States, 2013**
Hispanics	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White
48.8	39.9	1.2

Source: National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query: Table 7_2_1_6_1.1 [Accessed 08/18/2017]
http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/data/query

**Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about eating healthy, United States, 2013**
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White
61.3	56.3	1.1

Source: National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query: Table 7_2_1_8_1.1 [Accessed 08/18/2017]
http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/data/query

ADOLESCENTS

**Percentage of high school students who were overweight, 2015**
	Hispanic	White	Hispanic / White Ratio
Girls	20.0	14.6	1.4
Boys	17.0	15.9	1.1
Total	18.4	15.2	1.2

Source: High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Table 105.
Available at http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline. [Accessed 08/18/2017]

**Percentage of high school students who were obese, 2015**
	Hispanic	White	Hispanic / White Ratio
Girls	13.3	9.1	1.5
Boys	19.4	15.6	1.2
Total	16.4	12.4	1.3

Source: High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Table 105.
Available at http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline. [Accessed 08/18/2017]

HEALTH IMPACT OF OBESITY

People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, diabetes and LDL cholesterol ("a fatlike substance") -- all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.¹
In 2015, Hispanic adults were 30% less likely to engage in active physical activity as non-Hispanic whites.

Physical Activity

Percentage Inactive physical activity among adults 18 & over: 2015
(Did not meet federal physical activity guidelines)
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
53.5	43.7	1.2

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-14.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

Percentage Some Leisure Time Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2015
(Met aerobic guidelines only)
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
463.63	53.0	0.7

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-14.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

Percentage Regular Leisure Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2015
(Met federal physical activity guidelines)
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
16.8	23.4	0.7

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-14.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

**Percent of adults age 18 and over who were obese who were given advice about exercise, United States, 2013**
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
59.5	54.5	1.1

Source: National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query: Table 7_2_1_5_1.1 [Accessed 08/18/2017]
http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/data/query

**Percent of adults age 18 and over who were obese who were given advice about eating fewer high fat or high cholesterol foods, United States, 2013**
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
52.3	51.5	1.0

Source: National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query: Table 7_2_1_7_1.1 [Accessed 08/18/2017]
http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/data/query

At a Glace – Risk Factors:

Obesity is a risk factor for several diseases. For statistics on these related diseases see:

Diabetes – See Diabetes and Hispanic Americans

Heart Disease –See Heart Disease and Hispanic Americans

Stroke –See Stroke and Hispanic Americans

¹Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html

Last Modified: 9/15/2017 11:12:00 AM

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