Latino Kids Are More Obese Than Their Peers for This Insidious Reason Liz Dwyer - TakePart
go to original January 17, 2016

Going to the park to play is pretty impossible when there is no local park. (Todd Warnock/Getty Images)

A common complaint about modern kids is that they spend too much time indoors watching television or racking up points on the latest video game - all while noshing on a bag of chips or some other unhealthy junk food. The commonsense alternative to all this screen time, health advocates say, is to send youngsters outside where they can run, jump, and swing from the monkey bars.

A new report from childhood obesity prevention organization Salud America! reveals that following that advice may be especially difficult for Latino kids living in segregated, underserved neighborhoods.

The nonprofit organization, which is based at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, analyzed federal data as well as several studies and surveys on race, ethnicity, and access to public recreational space. It found that 81 percent of predominantly Latino neighborhoods lack access to active spaces such as parks and recreation facilities. In comparison, the proportion of predominantly non-Hispanic white neighborhoods with limited physical activity options is less than half that: 38 percent.

The researchers also noted that recent U.S. census data found that nearly 83 percent of white people say their neighborhoods have safe places for kids to play. In comparison, 70 percent of Latino people feel the same way about their neighborhoods.

While childhood obesity is a problem nationally, a post on the Salud America! blog notes that the lack of access to parks and concerns about safety contribute to Latino kids being more overweight or obese than their white peers. Nearly 40 percent of Latino children are overweight or obese, while just under 30 percent of white children are too heavy. It probably doesn’t help that Latino kids are also more likely to live in poverty and in food deserts.

Read the rest at TakePart

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