Obesity increases the risk of other health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and stroke. The Hispanic population has high rates of obesity, ranging from 34.9 – 44.8%. According to Natalie Rosario, a Clinical Assistant Professor in the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Hispanic patients tend to be underrepresented in clinical research. With Hispanic people making up 18.5% of the US population, 39.75% of Texas’ population, and 44.55% of Houston’s population, Rosario felt it was important to explore this population for genetic differences that could affect clinical outcomes.
“We aim to characterize body mass phenotypes based on levels of physical activity and dietary habits in obese Hispanic patients compared to non-obese Hispanic counterparts. We also aim to compare microbiome characteristics of obese and non-obese Hispanic patients,” Rosario said.
Other researchers have found that healthy Hispanic people living along the U.S.-Mexico border have imbalances of bacterial species similar to those found in obese individuals. This led Rosario to question whether there are factors associated with Hispanic communities that contribute to obesity.
“Additionally, previous research has shown that Hispanics have a unique brain-gut microbial signature associated with obesity despite sociodemographic and dietary differences,” Rosario said.
Rosario describes this research as “a first step in microbiome research in a Hispanic population.”
“Moving forward, we hope to identify areas for improvement in microbiome health as a potential means for addressing obesity,” Rosario said.
Currently, Rosario is still writing the protocol for this research, but she hopes to have the project up and running by this summer.
Image: Getty Images/iStock/andresr
