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Lisa M. Bates, SD, SM, Dolores Acevedo-Garcia, PhD, MPA-URP, Margarita Alegría, PhD and Nancy Krieger, PhD

At the time of study, Lisa M. Bates was with the School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Mass. Dolores Acevedo-Garcia and Nancy Krieger are with the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Margarita Alegría is with the Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Lisa M. Bates, Department of Epidemiology, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032 (e-mail: lb2290{at}columbia.edu).

Objectives. We examined patterns of body mass index (BMI) and obesity among a nationally representative sample of first-, second-, and third-generation Latinos and Asian Americans to reveal associations with nativity or country of origin.

Methods. We used data from the National Latino and Asian American Survey (2002–2003) to generate nationally representative estimates of mean BMI and obesity prevalence and explored changes in the distribution of BMI by generational status. Analyses tested the association between generational status and BMI and examined whether this association varied by ethnicity, education, or gender.

Results. We found substantial heterogeneity in BMI and obesity by country of origin and an increase in BMI in later generations among most subgroups. The data suggest different patterns for Latinos and Asian Americans in the nature and degree of distributional changes in BMI with generational status in the United States.

Conclusions. Generational status is associated with increased BMI and obesity among Latinos and Asian Americans. Aggregate estimates not accounting for nativity and country of origin may mask significant heterogeneity in the prevalence of obesity and patterns of distributional change, with implications for prevention strategies.

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