Reducing the immigrant obesity disparity: Acculturation, gender, and nutrition in Latino adolescents

National obesity rates among Latinos are disproportionately high when compared to Whites. California Latino adolescents are more overweight than any other ethnic group, and consume higher amounts of soda and fast food compared to California White adolescents. Researchers state that Latino adolescent acculturation into American culture causes dietary health practices to deteriorate with little evidence to support such conclusions. However, it is well established that acculturation status has profound effects on a variety of health behaviors for Latinos. To further explore this, a 2007 prospective study examined the effects of acculturation and gender on aspects of healthful dietary factors among Latino high school students. Multiple regression and general linear modeling were used to examine the effects of acculturation and gender on constructs of the theory of planned behavior as related to eating a healthful diet. Latino females reported stronger intentions, more positive attitudes, and greater subjective normative influences than males. Females indicated feeling healthy and looking good and males reported good athletic performance as contributors to eating healthy. The role of ones mother was influential for both genders, though stronger for females. Siblings were influential for low acculturated males, and friends for high acculturated females. Low acculturated adolescents had significantly stronger intention to eat healthy, reported more tolerance to give up liked foods, and reported more support and encouragement to eat healthy. When developing nutrition and health related programs for Latino youth public health professionals must take into account gender and acculturation to embracing the protective effects of maintaining traditional beliefs, attitudes, and practices.