Is Being Born in America Bad for Your Health?
Hispanics born in the U.S. have higher rates of smoking, obesity, and related diseases than Hispanic immigrants do
Participants take a break from a nutrition class for a one mile walk in the cafeteria of the school where the class was being held in McAllen, Texas.
Photographer: Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
People from Latin America come to the U.S. seeking economic opportunity, but they shouldn't count on better health for their children.
New research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Hispanics born in the United States have poorer health by several measures than Hispanics born abroad who immigrate to the U.S. They are likelier to be obese and smoke cigarettes and to suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. The 57 million Hispanics in the U.S. make up 18 percent of the population, the largest minority group in the country.