PARENT SESSION
Oral Session 2 / Sesion Orales 2: Human Migration / Migracíon Humana
Moderated by: Durand, Jorge,
Thursday, January 12 / Jueves, 12 de Enero, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, Salon Tulum, Level 1, Holiday Inn

"The Journey": Oxkutzcab, Yucatan a "Maya Town," San Francisco.

Contreras, Salvador^*,3, , Carlos Bazua³, Fortuny, Patricia ¹, Zavella, Patricia ², ³ University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA¹ Centro de Investigaciones de Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico² University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

ABSTRACT- It is estimated that there are between 10-12 thousand migrants from Oxkutzcab, Yucatan living in San Francisco, California. Our project focus is migration and health among this group. We found high incidences of obesity and diabetes in addition to alcoholism and drug abuse. The United States has the highest rate of diabetes. There is research on migrant farm workers that suggests the longer the stay the more likely they are to become obese which leads us to believe that other migrants are at risk for obesity. Many of the men we interviewed work double shifts and are often exhausted after work so unless they participate in a soccer club or similar physical activity, they are unlikely to get exercise. More troubling, the state of Yucatan has one of the highest rates of diabetes within Mexico (roughly 21%) . Further those who have abandoned agricultural work have more sedentary lifestyles that lead to increased obesity. Residents in Oxkutzcab seem to have turned to migrating to San Francisco because agriculture as a means of carving out a livelihood is simply no longer feasible. Many have pointed out that although the land for the most part is still fertile the price at which they sell their products has either declined or remained the same as the cost of living has increased. The men in Ox who once worked the land and earned a decent living have now become bicycle taxis or restaurant workers in San Francisco.

SPANISH ABSTRACT- Esta estimado que ay entre 10 y 12 mil emigrantes de Oxkutzcab, Yucatán viviendo en San Francisco, California. Nuestro proyecto esta enfocado en migración y salud entre este grupo de emigrantes. Encontramos altos índices de obesidad y diabetes. Incluso un alto índice de alcoholismo y drogadicción. Los Estado Unidos tiene la más alta índice de diabetes. Existe investigaciones sugiriendo que entre más tiempo se quedan emigrantes más probable que carezcan de obesidad y diabetes. Muchos de los hombres que entrevistamos trabajan doble turnos. Al menos de que sean parte de algún club de fútbol pocos participan en alguna actividad física. Alarmantemente Yucatán tiene uno de los más altos índices de diabetes en México (estimadamente 21%). Además los que han abandonado el trabajo de campo han adoptado vidas mas sedentarias y aumenta la probabilidad de ser obeso. Residentes en Oxkutzcab han migrado a San Francisco porque el campo ya no es redituable. La tierra es fértil (quizás no como antes). Sin embargo el precio que venden sus productos en el mercado se ha vuelto una miseria. Los hombres que antes trabajaban el campo ahora se ven paseando gente con triciclos o están trabajando como meseros en restoranes de San Francisco.