DIETARY PATTERNS OF HISPANIC ELDERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACCULTURATION AND OBESITY

Authors: LIN, HAI - TUFTS-HNRCA; BERMUDEZ, ODILIA - TUFTS-HNRCA; TUCKER, KATHERINE - TUFTS-HNRCA

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/8/2003
Publication Date: 11/1/2003
Citation: LIN, H., BERMUDEZ, O.I., TUCKER, K.L. DIETARY PATTERNS OF HISPANIC ELDERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACCULTURATION AND OBESITY. JOURNAL OF NUTRITION, 2003;133:3651-57.

Interpretive Summary: Hispanics in the United States are the largest minority group and they have high prevalence of obesity and other chronic conditions. They are also are changing their dietary practices as they acculturate. The objectives of this study were to identify dietary patterns among older Hispanics in Massachusetts, compared with those of non-Hispanic whites and to assess the relation between dietary patterns with acculturation, and with obesity. Subjects in the study included 449 Puerto Rican and 133 Dominican elders plus 243 non-Hispanic white elders, aged 60 to 92 y, from the Massachusetts Hispanic Elders Study. Obesity and central obesity were evaluated with the body mass index (BMI) and with measurements of waist circumference, respectively. Acculturation based on language use. Usual diet was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. From the results, and according to energy intake of the study group, we identified five groups of individuals with similar dietary patterns: 1) fruit and breakfast cereal, 2) starchy vegetables, 3) rice, 4) whole milk and 5) sweets, respectively. Fewer Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites used the fruit and cereal or sweets patterns, but more were more likely to follow the starchy vegetables or milk patterns. Only Hispanics followed the rice pattern. Among Hispanics, acculturation was positively associated with the fruit and cereal pattern, and negatively with the rice pattern. Total and central obesity were positively associated with the rice pattern. More studies are needed to understand better the effects of the associations reported here.

Technical Abstract: The association of dietary patterns and obesity, particularly in Hispanics, is relatively poorly understood. This large U.S. population subgroup has a high prevalence of obesity and associated chronic conditions, and Hispanics are changing their dietary practices as they acculturate. Our objectives were 1) to identify dietary patterns among elderly Hispanics in Massachusetts, compared with those of non-Hispanic whites; 2) to associate dietary patterns with acculturation; and 3) to associate dietary patterns with total and central obesity. We used a representative sample of 449 Puerto Rican and 133 Dominican elders and a neighborhood-based sample of 243 non-Hispanic white elders, aged 60 to 92 y, from the cross-sectional Massachusetts Hispanic Elders Study. Obesity and central obesity were assessed with BMI (kg/m2) and waist circumference measurement, respectively. Acculturation was assessed by evaluating language use. Usual diet was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire specifically designed for use with this population. Dietary patterns were defined by cluster analysis of food group variables. We identified five clusters of individuals by dietary pattern, with proportionately greater energy intake from 1) fruit and breakfast cereal, 2) starchy vegetables, 3) rice, 4) whole milk and 5) sweets, respectively. Hispanics were less likely to follow the fruit and cereal or sweets patterns, and more likely to follow the starchy vegetables or milk patterns, than were non-Hispanic whites. Only Hispanics followed the rice pattern. Among Hispanics, acculturation was positively associated with the fruit and cereal pattern, and negatively with the rice pattern. Total and central obesity were positively associated with the rice pattern. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal nature of these associations.