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Is Acculturation Associated with Unhealthy Diet among Hispanic Americans with Diabetes?
Dietary management is an important but challenging part of treatment for diabetics. This study sought to examine the association between acculturation and achievement of the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) dietary recommendations among Hispanic American diabetics.
Methods
Cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010 were used. This yields 1408 adults aged 20 or older who self-reported a previous diabetes diagnosis, among which 437 were Hispanics. Achievements of ADA recommendations for five dietary components were examined: daily intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium plus daily servings of alcoholic drinks. A 0-5 acculturation score was constructed based on language use, country of birth and length of residence in the US. Logistic regressions were performed to assess the association between acculturation and meeting each of the five recommendations.
Results
Hispanic diabetics had two-fold higher odds of achieving saturated fat and fiber intake recommendations (90% CIs were 1.6-2.9 and 1.6-3.2, respectively) and; 1.5 times higher odds of achieving the sodium intake recommendation (90% CI: 1.2-2.0) than Non-Hispanic diabetics, after adjustment for demographics. Results from multivariate analysis for acculturation and dietary achievements suggested that less acculturated (score 0-3) Hispanic diabetics had around two-fold higher odds of achieving saturated fat (90% CI: 1.5-2.7), fiber (90% CI: 1.2-2.5), sodium (90% CI: 1.5-2.7) and cholesterol intake (90% CI: 1.2-2.5) recommendations than their more acculturated (4-5) counterparts.
Conclusion
Acculturation has a negative effect on adherence to ADA dietary recommendations among Hispanic diabetics. Opportunities exist for designing nutrition interventions targeted on more acculturated Hispanic diabetics.
Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programsPublic health or related education
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Assess the association between acculturation and dietary quality among Hispanic Americans with diabetes in accordance with American Diabetes Association’s dietary recommendations
Keyword(s): Diabetes, Nutrition
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a third year PhD student from LSU. I received my Master degree in Public Health from Tulane University in 2011. I have presented my studies in Society for Public Health annual conference(2013) and Xavier Health Disparities annual conferences(2013 and 2014). My research interests are behavioral changes brought by immigration and acculturation in minority groups. I am currently doing research on relationship between acculturation and dietary changes in minority diabetic populations in the US.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.