Study: Mayan Children in U.S. Heavier Than Those in Guatemala

Mayan children living in the United States are much heavier than Mayan children living in Guatemala, probably because they are more sedentary as well as have greater access to food, according to a University of Michigan-Dearborn researcher.

The Mayan children living in the U.S. are also taller and longer-legged than Mayan children living in Guatemala.

The comparison of Mayan children allowed researchers to measure the consequences of different environments on a relatively similar population.

Researchers compared measurements of Mayan children living in Guatemala with Mayan children living in Los Angeles and central Florida. They found that Mayan children in Guatemala had a body mass index (BMI) of 16.2 while Mayan children in the U.S. averaged 20.2.

"While greater average height and longer legs may indicate better health, an alarming number of the Mayan-American children exhibit weight problems: nearly half are overweight and 42 percent are obese," said Barry Bogin, professor of anthropology at UM.

"And this childhood overweight is likely to lead to health problems and significant costs when the kids are adults. The long-term health problems include diabetes and heart disease, but overweight children are also more likely to perform poorly in school and have poor self-image, leading to lower social and economic status later in life," Bogin said.

The American Mayan obesity rates are very high, compared to the number of white and black children in the United States who are overweight or obese.

Researchers compared measurements of Mayan children living in Guatemala with Mayan children living in Los Angeles and central Florida. They found that Mayan children in Guatemala had a body mass index (BMI) of 16.2 while Mayan children in the U.S. averaged 20.2.

The children in the study who reported watching television or playing computer games as their favorite leisure activities were more likely to be overweight, according to Bogin. A degree of "American acculturation" was also linked to weight in the study.

"Children whose parents answered the questions in Spanish rather than English face a lower chance of obesity," said Bogin.

Other sources: University of Michigan Health System