Obesity Rate Surges Among Mexican-American Adults

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The percentage of obese Mexican-American adults has risen from 21% in 1984 to 35% in 2006 to 40% in 2010, according to new government data, USA Today reports.

Mexican-American adults’ obesity rates also were higher than the national average of 36%.

According to the USA Today report:

• The percentage of Mexican-American adults with diabetes was 14% in 2006, higher than the most recent national average of about 11%.
• About 22% of Mexican-American adults had high blood pressure and 20% had high cholesterol in 2006. These rates have remained stable over the last few decades. The prevalence increases with age.
• The average intake of calories for Mexican-American men was 2,521 in 2006; women, 1,827 calories. Those numbers have increased by several hundred calories each since 1984. The percent of calories they ate from carbohydrates increased from about 46% in 1984 to 51% in 2006.

The statistics come from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about health conditions and nutrient intake of Mexican-American adults ages 20-74.