暑假体重增加是真的, with Latino children especially at risk

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学校放暑假了, 数以百万计的孩子在家里放松, 在阳光下工作或嬉戏. 但, summer's also a time when many kids can gain weight quickly – and at unhealthy levels.

The obesity rate for children in the United States has nearly quadrupled in recent decades, 从20世纪70年代的5%上升到19%.8% -约14%.到2020年，500万儿童， 美国心脏协会统计数据 显示. 西班牙裔儿童的肥胖率高得不成比例, 影响了大约30%的西班牙裔男孩和23%的西班牙裔女孩. 和 研究表明 Hispanic children may be more susceptible to summer weight gain than most of their peers.

“儿童肥胖对成人健康有着巨大的影响,爱德华多·布斯塔曼特说, an assistant professor of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 如果不及时治疗, 他说, obesity can continue into adulthood and lead to medical conditions such as high blood pressure, 高胆固醇和2型糖尿病. It also has been associated with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.

肥胖通常开始于青春期, 但它也可能在5到6岁之间发展, 根据 美国儿童和青少年精神病学学会. 但 法典说 obesity can appear in Latino children as young as 2 years old. “这种差异在幼儿园之前就出现了，”他说.

Children are considered to have obesity when their body mass index – a calculation based on weight and height – is at or above the 95th percentile among children of the same age and sex. 超重在85到94个百分位数之间.

Factors that contribute to excess weight in children include a high-calorie diet, 久坐不动的生活方式, 生物因素和遗传条件. 但, 拉美裔肥胖青年还可能面临社会文化问题, environmental and behavioral influences that prevent them from keeping a healthy weight, 莎伦·塔弗诺·罗斯说, an associate professor of health and human development and director of the Latino Family Health Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education.

“他们更有可能生活在低收入社区, more likely to be living in poverty" due to structural factors and systemic racism, 她说. Their neighborhoods may be less walkable and have less access to physical activity resources and safe community areas, 比如公园和操场.

“人们可以去的杂货店可能更少了, 所以他们从街角的商店或杂货店买食物,罗斯说。, 谁有行为健康博士学位. 甚至在学年期间, "the schools that are often attended by children who live in those low-resource neighborhoods might not have physical activity integrated into the day."

布斯塔曼特说，金融稳定在这种差异中发挥了作用. Latino parents who work long hours or multiple jobs "are at their limit just trying to survive, 我只是想交房租,他说. 良好的健康是一个“遥远的事情”，可能是不可能的.

Some summer activities that boost physical health are available to families for free or at low cost. 许多营地目前可能已经满员, 但家长应该去当地的基督教青年会看看, 救世军, 男童子军和女童子军, 公共图书馆和公园区. 许多学区提供免费或低价的课程 健康的饮食习惯 在 孩子们的夏天一些社区中心、食品银行和礼拜场所也是如此.

Intervention programs that get kids more active or teach parents about healthier cooking can incorporate cultural values found in the diverse Latino communities, 法典说. "It has to be focused on what's important to us and our goals, in my view. 我们如何利用健康行为来实现我们的目标?"

Bustamante leads a program at UIC that helps promote healthy home routines related to exercise, 营养与睡眠. 健康儿童实验室 also works to identify the type of support and resources families need to reach health-related goals.

罗斯同意干预计划可能是关键. 但 when Latino parents work multiple jobs and live in an environment that lacks nearby grocery stores with affordable, 新鲜健康的食物, 家庭仍然“不能走得太远."

拉丁裔儿童的肥胖问题, 罗斯说, 必须解决影响健康的各种因素. The voices of the Latino community should be included in decisions about interventions and policy changes, 她说.

父母是孩子健康行为的关键, 说法典, 谁有人体运动学博士学位, 营养与康复. "Children are constantly watching what parents do and emulating" those behaviors, 他说. If children see their parents exercise and eat vegetables, they are more likely to follow suit.

Physical activity can go a long way in keeping children's weight at healthy levels, 法典说. Only 16% of Hispanic youth ages 6 to 17 get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, AHA统计数据显示.

Bustamante suggests that parents develop a routine – both for the summer break and year-round – so children can be more physically active, 每天多吃水果和蔬菜, 每晚睡8到12个小时，这取决于他们的年龄, 每天花在娱乐屏幕上的线上电子游戏飞禽走兽少于两小时.

“健康行为的好处令人难以置信，”他说. "Brain development, behavior, focus, attention – every single part of the child benefits."