Weight gain, smoking addiction and sexually transmitted diseases are three major health hazards Latino immigrants confront when coming in contact with the American culture, according to a new study at the University of California, Davis.

"Immigrant health is a major problem today and will be for the foreseeable future," says Marc Schenker, professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine and director of the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety.

Schenker's study found that Latin Americans' risk factors for health deteriorate when they migrate to the United States.

Weight gain becomes a big health risk when immigrants encounter cheap, low-quality food and develop bad eating habits. They stop eating fresh foods and homemade meals, increase their consumption of foods with fat and sugar, and give in to the "super-size" portions. Also, Latino eating habits change simply because they are able to afford this new lifestyle, Schenker says.

Secondly, the longer immigrants, including pregnant women, reside in the United States, the more likely they are to smoke. Again, having the monetary resources to sustain this addiction encourages smoking, Schenker points out.

Finally, statistics are showing increasing numbers of Latinos contracting sexually transmitted diseases, the result of losing conservative moral attitudes as immigrants adapt to the sexually freer American culture, Schenker says.

According to Schenker identifying problems and educating Latinos are important first steps. Further, addressing the problem in its early stages, before the onset of the chronic diseases, is equally important. "It is easier and more cost-effective to prevent the consequences of obesity from occurring than to have to treat them once they have developed the problem," says Schenker.