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<\/h6>\n<\/h6>\nNew BUSSW research published in <\/span>Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology<\/span><\/i> shows that immigrants in the U.S. are substantially less likely to overeat compared to those who were born in the United States. <\/span><\/p>\n The study, led by BUSSW Assistant Professor <\/span>Christopher Salas-Wright<\/span> along with BUSSW faculty <\/span>Daniel Miller<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Hyeouk \u201cChris\u201d Hahm<\/span><\/a>, MSW\/MPH Student Mariana Cohen, and <\/span>Dean Jorge Delva<\/span><\/a>, further supports the healthy immigrant hypothesis. The hypothesis is based prior research showing that immigrants, despite frequently experiencing stress and socioeconomic disadvantage, are markedly less likely to experience a variety of health problems, such as mental health disorders and obesity, and take part in risky or unhealthy behaviors \u2014 including alcohol and other drug misuse, crime, and violence. <\/span><\/p>\n Researchers also found that among those reporting recurrent overeating, the prevalence of binge eating with loss of control is lower among immigrant women compared to women born in the U.S., but comparable between immigrant and U.S. born men. Findings also showed that the risk of overeating and binge eating increases among immigrants who arrive during childhood and among those who have spent more time living in the United States. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Takeaways from the study suggest that efforts to prevent overeating and binge eating among immigrants are best targeted to those arriving as children and the children of immigrants, since foreign-born adults report very low levels of overeating and binge eating. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis study encourages future research to explore specific risk factors that may be associated with unhealthy behaviors among those born in the U.S. to immigrants or came to the U.S. as children \u2014 perceived discrimination, weakened social network, and weak ethnic identities may provide some understanding of this trend,\u201d Hyeouk “Chris” Hahm said. \u201cAs researchers, we are trying to understand this pattern and to support continued healthy behaviors among immigrants and their children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n