Abstract
Dietary intake is an important determinant of obesity and numerous chronic health
conditions. A healthful diet is an essential component of chronic disease self-management.
Researchers have indicated that the healthfulness of the Latino diet deteriorates
during the acculturation process. However, given the many operationalizations of acculturation,
conclusive evidence regarding this relationship is still lacking. This comprehensive
and systematic literature review examines the relationship between acculturation and
diet by examining national, quantitative, and qualitative studies involving Latinos
living in the United States. Studies of diet included those that examined dietary
intake using one of several validated measures (eg, food frequency questionnaire,
24-hour dietary recall, or dietary screener) and/or dietary behaviors (eg, away-from-home-eating
and fat avoidance). Articles were identified through two independent searches yielding
a final sample of 34 articles. Articles were abstracted by two independent reviewers
and inter-rater reliability was assessed. Analyses examined the extent to which various
measures of acculturation (ie, acculturation score, years in the United States, birthplace,
generational status, and language use) were associated with macronutrient intake,
micronutrient intake, and dietary behaviors. Several relationships were consistent
irrespective of how acculturation was measured: no relationship with intake of dietary
fat and percent energy from fat; the less vs more acculturated consumed more fruit,
rice, beans, and less sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages. Additional observed relationships
depended on the measure of acculturation used in the study. These findings suggest
a differential influence of acculturation on diet, requiring greater specificity in
our dietary interventions by acculturation status.
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Biography
G. X. Ayala is an assistant professor, Division of Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, and B. Baquero is a doctoral student, Joint Doctoral Program in Behavioral Science, Center for Behavioral and Community Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
Biography
S. Klinger is a nutrition and culinary consultant, Hispanic Food Communications, Inc, Hinsdale, IL.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 21,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
