Growing Away from the Roots

[Howard Hartman]

HHS HealthBeat April 3, 2012 Growing away from the roots  Listen to Tip First generation Mexican-American kids weigh less than second- and third-generation kids, and a study indicates a reason for it can be found in what they eat. At the University of South Carolina, Jihong Liu looked at national survey data on nearly 2,300 Mexican-Americans between the ages of 12 and 19. She checked for height and weight: "Compared with the first generation, the second and third generation has a poor dietary quality. They consumed significantly less fruit and vegetables, and meat and beans."  (10 seconds) Liu thinks they’ve grown away from their dietary roots in traditional Mexican food, which favors items such as those. The study in the Journal of Nutrition was supported by HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration.     This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Growing away from the roots 04/03/2012 01:01 AM EDT Directories of HHS Accounts U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services · 200 Independence Avenue SW · Washington DC 20201 · 1-877-696-6775