Impact of Acculturation on Cancer Prevention Dietary Patterns among Hispanic Families with a High Prevalence of Obesity

Nutr Cancer. 2023;75(1):320-330. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2022.2112242. Epub 2022 Aug 18.

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) examine the relationship between dietary intake and cancer prevention nutrition recommendations among Hispanic families, 2) differences in daily dietary intake by acculturation category and nativity (US born vs non-US born) status. Baseline data was used from a randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of an obesity preventive intervention in Hispanic youth. Participants were 280 Hispanic parents (11.8% males, 88.2% females, Mage=41.87 ± 6.49; MBody Mass Index (BMI)=30.62 ± 5.68) and their adolescents (47.9% males, 52.1% females, Mage=13.01 ± 0.83; MBMI Percentile=94.55 ± 4.15). Intake of added sugar, dairy, whole grains, and fruits/vegetables were obtained. Participants were categorized into four acculturation categories based on Berry's acculturation model: Marginalization, Integration, Separation, and Assimilation. Results indicated that sugar intake was significantly higher than the recommendations among all adolescents' cultural categories but not in parents. Among adolescents the consumption of whole grains was lower in integration and assimilation, dairy was lower in integration, separation, and assimilation, and fruits/vegetables was lower among marginalization, integration, and assimilation categories than the recommendations. Parents' daily intake of whole grains, dairy, and fruits/vegetables were significantly lower than the recommendations across all the acculturation categories. Participants did not meet the healthy recommendations for cancer prevention regardless of their acculturation and nativity status.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acculturation
  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Neoplasms* / prevention & control
  • Obesity / prevention & control
  • Sugars
  • Vegetables

Substances

  • Sugars