Hispanics have mortality rates that exceed those of whites, a phenomenon that has puzzled researchers since the 1970s and runs counter to expectations that a population that is financially disadvantaged is less healthy, reports the Los Angeles Times. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the national age-adjusted mortality rate for 2003 was 621 per 100,000 individuals for Hispanics, which is 25% less than for whites and 43% less than for blacks. National Hispanic infant mortality rates were about the same as for white infants and 58% less than for blacks. The Times explored research that shows that Latinos’ strong social support and family connections may reduce stress and keep individuals healthier. Immigrants who live in Latino neighborhoods had a 5% incidence of asthma compared with 22% for those who didn’t live among other Latinos, for example. Diet and lifestyle preferences also keep Latinos healthier, although children of immigrants tend to not to follow the habits of their parents. Obesity, for example, is very high in Mexican children, warn researchers.
