Roundup: The Latest in Latino Childhood Obesity

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Check out this latest news and research in the epidemic of childhood obesity among Latinos:

Texas: Girl Scouts involved in research project to promote physical activity
To identify ways to get Latinas ages 11-14 moving more, Girl Scouts in South Texas are using Photovoice, in which community members use images to share their perspectives on issues to spark change. The project is part of a larger study led by The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday.

Arizona: Kids in lower-income families battling obesity
Southern Arizona children are suffering from adult afflictions, and doctors blame it on a troubling surge in childhood obesity. Lifestyle, diet, genetics, and population growth among Hispanics, an at-risk group, all are contributing to the rise. But low socioeconomic status seems to be the major factor.

Tennessee: Health food void in low-income areas may feed obesity
In Nashville’s poorest communities, body mass indexes, a critical weight to height ratio and measure of health, are on average higher than in other neighborhoods. And there are hints that the reason for that difference may not lie only between individual plates and mouths, but in what food can be found closest to Nashville’s poorest homes.

How the family environment impacts obesity in Latino children
Parents of overweight, elementary-school-aged Latino children provide less support to engage in activity and set fewer limits on their child’s activities, according to a study in the Journal of School Health. Study authors suggest that the environments in which Latino kids are reared may play a vital role in determining their risk for obesity.