Weight Status Among Minnesota Hispanic or Latino/a Youth: An Exploration of Protective Factors

Purpose: Pediatric obesity disproportionately impacts Hispanic or Latino/a adolescents. Culturally appropriate family-based behavioral initiatives to improve weight status are warranted. The purpose of this research was to determine prevalence rates and identify protective factors associated with having overweight/obesity (body mass index = 85th percentile) to inform Hispanic or Latino/a-targeted behavioral intervention development. Design: Secondary data analyses of a population-based statewide survey. Setting: Minnesota public high schools. Participants: Male (n = 2,644) and female (n = 2,798) Hispanic or Latino/a 9th and 11th graders (N = 5,442). Measures: Obesity-related behaviors (meeting fruit and vegetable [F&V] and physical activity [PA] recommendations), family caring, family country/region of origin, and weight status. Analysis: Stepwise logistic regression models (F& V, PA), stratified by biological sex, were used to identify protective factors of overweight/obesity. Results: The overall prevalence of meeting F&V and PA recommendations was 11.0% and 11.8%, respectively. Meeting F&V recommendations was not protective against overweight/obesity in either sex. Yet, males and females who met PA recommendations had significantly lower odds of having overweight/obesity (p <.05). In F&V and PA models, family caring was protective against overweight/obesity in females (p <.05), and family country/region of origin was protective against overweight/ obesity in both sexes (p <.05). Conclusion: Findings illustrate a need for obesity prevention initiatives for Hispanic or Latino/a youth. More research is needed to understand the protective nature of family caring and country/region of origin.