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Contributing factors to heart disease are leading causes of death in the U.S. More than 40% of Hispanic adults are obese, according to the AHA’s statistics update, released in January. Data through 2019 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that about 12% of adult Latinos were diagnosed with diabetes.
Dr. Monik Jimenez, an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, notes this line of work reveals how the human body reflects environmental, nutritional, and social changes, including stress and intergenerational differences, among people living in different countries.
Li said this study reaffirms the importance of including healthy plant-based foods in Latino diets for optimal health. Previous research has shown that a diet rich in whole plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, has many benefits.
“What people eat is important, and that’s one of the aspects that we know can change markedly depending on how long a person has lived in the U.S. and their increased consumption of a Westernized diet, such as processed foods,” Jimenez added.
Other research suggests Latinos’ diets deteriorate with migration to the U.S. However, there is no conclusive evidence of the reasons. Li and Jimenez agree that more research is needed to fully understand the reasons for dietary changes among Hispanics.
“Latino” refers to Latin America, including Brazil, while “Hispanic” applies to Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain and Equatorial Guinea.
For some in the U.S., “Hispanic” is the preferred term, as it emphasizes the Spanish language and Latin America’s colonial roots. Others prefer “Latino” because they consider it a more inclusive term that encompasses people from different cultural backgrounds within Latin America.
There are several popular Latin American dishes in the U.S., such as tamales, arepas, tacos, ceviche, empanadas, pupusas, churrasco, churros and feijoada. Latin people enjoy flavors and tastes from different countries.
However, most young people of Latino descent prefer junk food. Some adverse effects are obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and triglycerides, depression, anxiety, and other emotional disorders. It also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
✅ With information from the American Heart Association News.
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