A Quick Way To Gain Weight: Move To The U.S.

Immigrants who move to the United States get more than a new country in which to dwell. They also gain an awful lot of weight.

Research shows that newcomers to the U.S. who are thin when they arrive pack on pounds quickly. Consequently, after about 15 years of living here, their body fat increases to levels comparable to the rest of us.

“People who feel like they need to prove they belong in a culture will change their habits in an attempt to fit in,” says University of Washington researcher Sapna Cheryan. “If immigrants and their children choose unhealthy American foods over healthier traditional foods across their lives, this process of fitting in could lead to poorer health.”