Latino children’s obesity risk varies by place of birth: Findings from New York City public school youth, 2006-2017

Introduction Research showing Place of Birth (POB) predicts excess weight gain and obesity risk among Latino adults has not prompted similar research in Latino children, although childhood is a critical period for preventing obesity. Methods Longitudinal cohort observational study on public school children self-identified by parent/guardian as Latino in grades K-12 for school years 2006-07 through 2016-17 with measured weight and height (n= 570,172 students ; 3,10,3642 observations ). POB reported by parent/guardian was categorized as continental US (not NYC) (n=295,693), NYC (n=166,361), South America (n=19,452), Central America (n=10,241), Dominican Republic (n=57,0880), Puerto Rico (n=9,687) and Mexico (n=9,647). Age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles were estimated based on established growth charts. Data were analyzed in 2020. Results Prevalence of obesity was highest among US (non-NYC)-born girls (21%) and boys (27%), followed by NYC-born girls (19%) and boys (25%). Among girls, South Americans (9%) had the lowest prevalence of all levels of obesity, while Puerto Ricans (19%) and Dominicans (15%) had the highest prevalence. Among boys, South Americans also had the lowest prevalence of all levels of obesity (15%), while Puerto Ricans (22%) and Mexicans (21%) had the highest. In adjusted models, obesity risk was highest in US (non-NYC)-born children, followed by children born in NYC (p<0.001). Immigrant Latino children exhibited an advantage, particularly Dominicans, South Americans and Puerto Ricans, and even after controlling for individual and neighborhood sociodemographic features including linguistic isolation and poverty. Conclusions The heterogeneity of obesity risk among Latino children highlights the importance of POB.