Mexican immigrants use a variety of medicinal plants, but also eat well.
Credit: 13Smile/Shutterstock

Supporters of Donald Trump’s wall might have us believe that Mexicans who enter the US illegally carry disease and take advantage of America’s healthcare system. But several large public health surveys suggest that most Mexican immigrants are healthier than the average American citizen. So what can Americans learn about health from their Mexican neighbours?

The “Hispanic health paradox” was first identified in 1980, in the Hispanic health and nutrition examination survey. Results of the survey were compared with a second part of the survey, which looks at all Americans. Of all Hispanic groups, people from Mexico have some of the best health compared with the rest of Americans. For example, Mexicans have lower rates of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and most cancers than the general US population.

But, by the second or third generation, people of Mexican descent do not seem to have any health advantage over other Americans. This suggests that […]