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A new research study by UT Southwestern Medical Center has determined that one in five Latino parents aren’t told that they’re children are obese by the family pediatrician. The research noticed that, if language barriers exist between the doctor and patient, the topic of weight is not discussed.
The UT Southwestern study made three crucial findings: language barriers impact that a child is overweight; many overweight Latino children and their parents aren’t told directly that the child is overweight; few Latino children and their parents receive weight-management advice.
“During primary care visits with overweight children in which there is a language barrier, it is incredibly important to provide a trained medical interpreter or bilingual provider, and use a growth chart to communicate that the child is overweight,” said Dr. Christy Turer, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that one in every three children in America is considered obese. Latino children also have high obesity rates, with nearly 60% classified as obese.
“Special attention should be paid to telling Latino families that the child is overweight using family-preferred terms,” said Dr. Turer. “For example, pediatricians should use phrases such as ‘too much weight for his/her health’ or ‘demasiado peso para su salud,’ and avoid terms such as ‘fat,’ ‘heavy,’ or ‘obese.’”
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage
