Obesity Issues in Hispanic Population Group
Words: 728
Subject: Healthy Nutrition
Population and Health Disparity Over 4.3 million Hispanics live in Florida. Obesity is prevalent among Hispanics, especially those coming from Mexico (“Current status,” 2018). Obesity occurs in Hispanics more often than in Whites. Obesity is one of the enduring health problems in US healthcare Obesity leads to heart diseases, loss of mobility, and diabetes. In Hispanics, obesity is more prevalent among women. Childhood obesity is likely to follow into adulthood (“Current status,” 2018). Brief History of the Medical Condition in Hispanics Mexico is among the top three countries for high obesity rates. Obesity in Hispanics is related to generational poverty. Health education in Mexico and other Hispanic countries is lacking. Cultural and language barriers are an issue. Hispanic cuisine is predisposed towards high-calorie foods. Obesity has been historically prevalent in the Hispanic population. Migrants and 1st-generation Mexican-Americans are especially vulnerable to obesity (“Current status,” 2018). Literature Review Liu, Hannon, Qi, Downs, and Marrero (2015) conducted a study on obesity in Latino children. Discoveries: Obesity prevalent in children regardless of sex and insurance status. Interventions may need to be directed at families. Isasi et al. (2015) analyzed the impact of acculturation on obesity rates in Hispanics. Research finds that prolonged exposure to the environment, rather than acculturation, leads to obesity. Kaiser et al. (2015) analyzed food patterns in young Latino children. Fast foods and irregular food patterns correlate with obesity. Statistical Information and Comparisons The current adult obesity rate in Florida – 27.4% 26.8% of obese people in Florida are Hispanics. Obesity-related health issues (diabetes, hypertension) are rising. Hispanics are more likely to have obesity than whites (26.8% vs. 25.7%). Hispanics are less likely to have obesity than blacks (26.8% vs. 35.2%). Child obesity in Hispanics is at 12.4%. 60% of obese Hispanic people in Florida are aged between 26 and 64 (“The state of obesity, “2016). Evidence-Based Cultural Values, Characteristics, and Communication Cultural values: kindness, relationship, respect, modesty. Have disproportionally high rates of obesity and diabetes. Prefer alternative therapies and traditional or herbal remedies. Health beliefs are determined by education, socioeconomic status, and acculturation. Barriers: Language, lack of insurance, distrust, immigrant status. Obesity may be associated with stress from living and working in the USA. Culturally competent interventions are necessary to improve patient outcomes (Juckett, 2013). Health Disparities in Hispanic Population Higher rates of obesity when compared to the non-Hispanic White population. 51% more likely to die from diabetes Higher chances of developing cancer. High levels of depression and stress coupled with inaccessibility to mental care. Less access to quality dental care. Higher prevalence of asthma Higher chances of experiencing an adverse medical event during treatment (“Current status,” 2018). Reasons for Health Disparities Lack of proper access to medical insurance. Cultural nuances and specifics of national cuisine. Socio-economic factors. Generational poverty and poor neighborhoods. Higher rates of criminal activity. Stress associated with legal status in the country. Educational inequality and language barriers (Juckett, 2013). Culturally Competent Health Promotion Activities Specialized community education based on Hispanic cultural values. Pamphlets and leaflets about obesity written in Spanish. A balanced diet based on certain dishes from national cuisine. Bilingual communication during medical treatment. Using Hispanic nurses to establish trust. Introducing bilingual community workers to promote a healthy way of life. Internet-based health resources must be in English and Spanish (Juckett, 2013). Health Literacy in Hispanics Health literacy in Hispanic populations is low. Education inequalities result in reduced health literacy. Hispanic patients face discrimination in the US medical system. Lack of health literacy in adjacent Hispanic countries. The majority of health information sites are English-only. Lack of community-based health literacy interventions. Inability to fluently communicate with doctors in Spanish (Isasi et al., 2015). Political Means of Advocacy Nursing associations may provide support. Local legislators may be involved in health promotion. Advocacy for the overall reduction of obesity (includes Hispanics). Support from international organizations (Red Cross, USAID, etc.). Mobilization of Hispanic voters. Seeking favor with major political parties. Small-scale advocacy efforts through interaction. References Current status. (2018). Web.
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Isasi, C. R., Ayala, G. X., Sotres-Alvarez, D., Madanat, H., Penedo, F., Loria, C. M., … Schneiderman, N. (2015). Is acculturation related to obesity in Hispanic/Latino adults? Results from the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos. Journal of Obesity, 2015, 1-8. Juckett, G. (2013). Caring for Latino patients. American Family Physician, 87(1), 48-54. Kaiser, L. L., Aguilera, A. L., Horowitz, M., Lamp, C., Johns, M., Gomez-Camacho, R., … de la Torre, A. (2015). Correlates of food patterns in young Latino children at high risk of obesity. Public Health Nutrition, 18(16), 2042-3050. Liu, G. C., Hannon, T., Qi, R., Downs, S. M., & Marrero, D. G. (2015). The obesity epidemic in children: Latino children are disproportionately affected at younger ages. International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2(1), 12-18. The state of obesity in Florida. (2016). Web.
