The purpose was to compare maternal perceptions, feeding practices, and overweight status of children in immigrant households in California (US) with a cohort in Guanajuato, Mexico (MX). In 2006, staff interviewed mothers and weighed and measured their children, 1–6 years (US: n = 95 and MX: n = 200). Prevalence of overweight [body mass index z-score (BMIZ) >1.0 and <1.65] and obesity (BMIZ > 1.65) was 21.1 and 28.4 % in the US respectively, compared to 11.5 and 12.9 % in MX (p < 0.001). No differences were observed in maternal ability to identify correctly the child’s weight status or ever being told the child was overweight. US children ate away from home more often (p < 0.0001), had fewer family meals (p < 0.0001), and played outdoors less often than MX children (p < 0.0002). Further analyses should examine how differences in eating and activity patterns explain the disparity in childhood obesity across the countries. © 2013, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Mexican Immigrant Children Feeding practices overweight

human Overweight statistics and numerical data obesity diet feeding behavior ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study migrant psychology Humans California male Emigrants and Immigrants preschool child Socioeconomic Factors Infant risk factor Risk Factors Child, Preschool socioeconomics female Mothers prevalence food assistance mother anthropometry body mass Mexican Americans Body Mass Index Mexican American Child