Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109831

Deanna Lee Kepka, MA¹, Guadalupe X. Ayala, PhD, MPH², India Ornelas, MPH², and Delesha L. Miller, MSPH¹. (1) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rosenau Hall, CB# 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, 919-966-3761, kepka@unc.edu, (2) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, CB #7440, Rosenau Hall 315, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440

Research has been conducted examining the influence of acculturation on the dietary habits of Latinos. However, few studies have examined the relationship between television language preference and the dietary habits of Latinos. This is important given the relationship between television watching and dietary habits.

Two hundred and three adult Latino immigrants (mean age=31.55, SD=8.36, 55% female) participated in a 15-minute interview investigating diet and physical activity, television viewing behavior, self-rated health, acculturation and demographic characteristics along with measurement of their height and weight. Bilingual interviews and measurements took place at health fairs and a local open-air market in central North Carolina.

Participants reported high levels of television viewing (mean number of hours on weekdays=2.47 (2.44)), most days of the week (mean number of days per week=6.06 (1.72)). The majority of participants did not meet current dietary recommendations (mean number of fruits consumed daily=2.12 (1.52); mean number of vegetables consumed daily=1.89 (1.49)). Contrary to research on the influence of acculturation on dietary habits, participants with greater preference for English language television consumed more fruits (p < .05), more vegetables (p < .05), and less fast food (p < .06) than participants with lower levels of English language television preference.

These data indicate that adult Latino immigrants are failing to meet healthy lifestyle recommendations. In addition, it appears that preferring English language programming may promote healthier dietary habits. Content analyses of English and Spanish language programming are required to better understand the influence of media on the dietary habits of immigrant Latinos.

Learning Objectives:

• List demographic characteristics along with dietary and television viewing behaviors of Latinos in North Carolina.
• Articulate the influence television language preference may have on the nutritional behaviors of Latinos in central North Carolina.

Keywords: Latino Health, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation