I Want to Live in “America”: Acculturation and Nativity as Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome in a Mexican Origin Population in East Texas

Jennifer J. Tovar, University of Texas Medical Branch
M. Kristin Peek, University of Texas Medical Branch
Soham Al Snih, University of Texas Medical Branch

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of nativity, assimilation, and social integration with non-Hispanic whites on having risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome in Mexican Americans. The data for this study comes from the Healthy City Assessment Project (HCAP) - Texas City, Texas. To test the effect of nativity, assimilation, and social integration on the metabolic risk factors, while adjusting demographic characteristics, logistic regression models were conducted. US born Mexican Americans are at greater risk for having Metabolic Syndrome than immigrant Mexican Americans. This difference is affected by, but not completely explained by assimilation. English language use and social integration with non-Hispanic whites in adulthood have the greatest impact on Metabolic Syndrome risk. Socioeconomic status also conditions the effects for hypertension. Findings from this study suggest that the types of interactions immigrants have in this country are essential in setting up a pathway that leads to ill-health.