Nutrition tips for living a healthy lifestyle

Hispanic Times Magazine, May-June, 1997

Overweight kids -- as well as adults -- is considered a public health epidemic. But the phenomenon is especially prevalent among Latinos, whose rates of obesity are the highest of any ethnic group.

"It's a time bomb for these kids, as it means health risks later in life," said Dr. Manuel Ricardo. He stated that the main culprits are a primarily junk food diet and lack of exercise.

Dr. Ricardo pointed out that when a Hollywood actor needs to gain a considerable amount of weight quickly for a specific movie role, he overindulges in malted drinks and cheeseburgers and Mexican-type snacks like burritos.

The problem is especially prevalent among the immigrant youth who attempt to acculturate. According to Nathan D. Wong, a UC Irvine associate professor, Latino youth obesity is a U.S. phenomenon, not a Mexican one.

The nutritional issue is commonly linked to poverty, rather than hunger. Its causes seem to be rooted in a mosaic of poorly understood social and cultural factors. And it is surely linked to poor nutrition.

Of course our lifestyle is also a factor. Lack of exercise is attributed, not only to lack of interest in athletic endeavors, but also to television, video games and computers which keep children and young people 'busy but sedentary'.

Another serious situation which contributes to the obesity of minors is related to life in the inner cities. In urban Latino enclaves, crime, poverty, and the stress of acculturation prevails. Working parents in such neighborhoods are inclined to give their kids a key and tell them to get inside and stay in there until the parents get home from work.

In today's homes, there is less time spent preparing foods, and less opportunity to interact around food. Families don't eat meals together and miss out on that time connecting. The kids are often fending for themselves with food -- and nutrition experts advise that kids who eat alone eat more!

And other factors are involved with the obesity issue. The typical Mexican diet is high in fat, as are most fast foods. The fast food restaurants and convenience stores are everywhere. In fact, both of these industries have doubled in size in the last decade.

Donna M. Abelino, a San Fernando Valley nutritionist in a highly populated Latino community, says the tide is turning somewhat in the local high schools. Everyone seems to be on a diet -- but her bone of contention is that what they need is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, losing weight through balanced eating, jogging, and an acceptance of self to achieve the way they want to look. The crash diets just do not work, she added.

Latino boys and girls who are addicted to junk foods may pay a terrible price by compromising their health. There are healthy alternatives, and many social efforts which address obesity in the Latino community. They emphasize nutrition counseling, the importance of regular exercise, and why crash diets don't work.