Racial and Ethnic Differentials in Obese Children - Thesis Example

As the discussion highlights no research has been able to prove clearly that racial and ethnic background of a person is a factor that causes overweight and obesity in people. Even though some researches have concluded that it is the racial and ethnic background of a person that causes obesity in him, the deeper look at those studies show that it is not the racial and the ethnic background, but the socioeconomic factors ‘associated’ with those racial and ethnic communities that lead to development of obesity in people.

Hence, it can be concluded that it is the ‘socioeconomic status’ (SES) and the social factors related to minor races and ethnic communities in the US that causes the prevalence of obesity among people.This essay stresses that the research conducted to study the role of racial and ethnic background on obesity trend among children has revealed that children from ‘all’ the races and ethnic background showed a trend of increase in weight with growing years. In a research conducted to study the effect of family income on the development of overweight and obesity in children, it was found that income of family and biological and social factors in the environment play an important role in the development of obesity.

 At the same time, this study revealed a very interesting thing about the racial and ethnic aspect of obesity.. Effect of SES The research conducted to study the role of racial and ethnic background on obesity trend among children has revealed that children from ‘all’ the races and ethnic background showed a trend of increase in weight with growing years (Freedman et al. 301). The only difference is that children from some ethnic background show more increase in obesity than children from other ethnic background.

For example, over 30-year period, children belonging to White ethnic background showed an increase in prevalence of overweight from 4% to 13%, while children from Black ethnic background showed an increase from 4% to 30% (Freedman et al. 301). This shows that not only children and adults from Hispanic ethnic background but also children and adults from White ethnic background have a tendency towards overweight and obesity. Hence, it does not clearly prove the effect of race and ethnicity on obesity and overweight.

Moreover, other studies have revealed that it is not the race and ethnicity of a child that causes obesity, but it is the SES factors ‘associated’ with certain race and ethnic backgrounds that causes obesity. In a research conducted to study the effect of family income on the development of overweight and obesity in children, it was found that income of family and biological and social factors in the environment play an important role in the development of obesity (“Childhood Overweight..” para.35). At the same time, this study revealed a very interesting thing about the racial and ethnic aspect of obesity.

The study found that the BMI levels in the second generation of Mexican-American adults is high among those living in the US than among those living in Mexico (“Childhood Overweight..” para.33). Moreover, the prevalence and the