Young Latinos and weight: A bad combination for heart health

It’s no secret that Hispanics are disproportionately affected by obesity, but new research from the American Heart Association indicates the problem may be more serious than previously acknowledged, with young Hispanics at a high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

SEE ALSO: The mysteries behind minority obesity disparities

Out of a study involving more than 16,000 Hispanic individuals of varying backgrounds (37 percent of participants identified themselves as Mexican, 20 percent Cuban, 16 percent Puerto Rican, 10 percent Dominican and 17 percent Central/South American or multiple backgrounds) expert found younger participants, ages 25 to 34, were the most likely to have a BMI over 40, which translates into a weight of over 240 pounds for someone who’s five-foot-five.

Approximately 18 percent of women and 12 percent of men in the study were classified as severely obese, and those who fell into this category were noted to have unhealthy levels of high-density lipoprotein, the “good” cholesterol, inflammation, and high blood pressure. More than a quarter had diabetes.

“[For U.S. Hispanics, the obesity epidemic] is unprecedented and getting worse,” said Robert Kaplan, Ph.D., lead author, in a press release. “Because young adults with obesity are likely to be sicker as they age, and have higher healthcare costs, we should be investing heavily in obesity research and prevention, as if our nation’s future depended upon it. This is a heavy burden being carried by young people who should be in the prime of life,” he said. “Young people, and especially men — who had the highest degree of future cardiovascular disease risk factors in our study — are the very individuals who tend to neglect the need to get regular checkups, adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, and seek the help of healthcare providers.”

The main findings of the research indicated:

• Overall 18 percent of women in the study and 12 percent of the men had levels of obesity that signal special concern about health risks, as defined by having a BMI above 35 (BMI is calculated based on height and weight).
• The most severe class of obesity, (BMI greater than 40, or for a person 5′ 5″ tall, body weight over 240 pounds) was most common among young adults between 25 and 34 years of age, affecting one in twenty men and almost one in ten women in this age group.
• More than half of the severely obese people had unhealthy levels of HDL cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol, and of inflammation, as measured by a marker called C-reactive protein.
• About 40 percent had high blood pressure, and more than a quarter had diabetes.

SEE ALSO: How Hispanic culture is contributing to infant obesity

In line with previous findings regarding Hispanics, Mexicans involved with the current study were among the largest groups identified with excess weight, with 37 percent of them being classified as obese. Cubans and Puerto Ricans followed, with 20 percent and 16 percent being obese, respectively.

According to the Office of Minority Health, Hispanics are 1.2 times as likely to be obese compared to non-Hispanic whites, and among Mexican American women, 78 percent are overweight or obese, as compared to only 60.3 percent of the non-Hispanic white women.