Discoveries

Immigrant Neighborhoods have Good Access to Healthy Foods

Immigrants comprise 11% of the US population, and US immigrants are more racially and ethnically diverse than ever before. Immigrant enclaves are one feature of the American receiving context that may facilitate successful adaptation of immigrants to the US. Few studies have investigated the health consequences of living in neighborhoods with a high concentration of immigrants. We found that Hispanic and Chinese participants living in neighborhoods with many immigrants were more likely to have better diets but were less likely to be physically active (for Hispanics only) than those who lived in neighborhoods with less immigrants. Additional analyses suggested that this is because neighborhoods with more immigrants have better access to health foods but poorer physical activity environments. Understanding why immigrant neighborhoods have these features may help us develop better strategies to improve health.

Osypuk TL, Diez Roux AV, Hadley C, Kandula NR. Are immigrant enclaves healthy places to live? The Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Soc Sci Med. 2009 May 7. [Epub ahead of print]