Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Amber Hromi-Fiedler, Sonia Vega-Lopéz, Angela Bermúdez-Millán, Sofia Segura-Pérez
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2008 40:208-225
Address correspondence to: rafael.perez-escamilla@uconn.edu
Click here to view full abstract.
Black ‘N Mild and Carcinogenic: Cigar Smoking among Inner City Young Adults in Hartford, CT.
Merrill Singer, Greg Mirhej, J. Bryan Page, Erica Hastings, Hassan Salaheen, Giorelly Prado.
Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse 2007;Volume 6(3) (Special Theme Issue: Ethnicity and Tobacco in the 21st Century).
For more information on this publication please contact Dr. Merrill Singer at MerrillS@hispanichealth.com
The Role of Acculturation in Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes among Latinos.
Perez-Escamilla R, Putnik P.
J Nutr. 2007 Apr;137(4):860-70.
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla* and Predrag Putnik
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Center for Eliminating Health Disparities among Latinos, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4017
* To whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail: rafael.perez-escamilla@uconn.edu.
Latinos have become the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. and will become 25% of the population by 2050. The purpose of this critical review is to examine the influence of acculturation on type 2 diabetes and corresponding risk factors, including 1) dietary intake, 2) physical activity patterns, 3) smoking and alcohol consumption, and 4) obesity. Among Latinos, acculturation has been associated with obesity risk, suboptimal dietary choices including lack of breast-feeding, low intake of fruits and vegetables, a higher consumption of fats and artificial drinks containing high levels of refined sugar, smoking, and alcohol consumption. In contrast, acculturation has been positively associated with physical activity and a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes among Latinos. However, findings have been inconsistent across acculturation indicators and appear to be strongly modified by Latino subethnicity and gender. It is important to improve existing acculturation measures available. Mexican Americans have been the target group in the majority of studies. Research in this group must continue but it is important to conduct additional research with other Latino subgroups that have been left out of most of the acculturation, lifestyles, and health outcomes research. Differences between acculturation and health-related outcomes may be confounded by socio-economic status, age, and movement from urban to rural areas. Longitudinal multivariate acculturation research is essential to disentangle these relations and to develop sound behavioral change theories that adequately predict behavioral change among Latinos.
Article can be viewed here (subscription may be required)
The same issue includes the following excellent commentary on this article:
Acculturation and biomarkers for type 2 diabetes in Latinos.
Fernandez ML. J Nutr. 2007 Apr;137(4):871-2.
Article can be viewed here (subscription may be required)
Address correspondence to: MARIA-LUZ.FERNANDEZ@uconn.edu
Differential Response to an Exclusive Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Intervention: The Role of Ethnicity
Alex K. Anderson, Grace Damio, Donna J. Chapman, and Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
J Hum Lact 2007 23: 16-23
This publication can be downloaded here.
Acculturation, socioeconomic status, obesity and lifestyle factors among low-income Puerto Rican women in Connecticut, U.S., 1998-1999.
Fitzgerald N, Himmelgreen D, Damio G, Segura-Perez S, Peng YK, Perez-Escamilla R.
Rev Panam Salud Publica/Pan American Journal of Public Health. 2006 May;19(5):306-13.
Department of Family and Community Health Sciences, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States of America. nfitzgerald@rcre.rutgers.edu
OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of socioeconomic status and acculturation with obesity and lifestyle characteristics that may be risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease among low-income Puerto Rican women.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 1998 and 1999 by interviewing a convenience sample of 200 low-income Puerto Rican female caretakers of young children in Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America. Various recruitment methods were used to ensure adequate representation of the target community. The associations of obesity (body mass index > or = 30.0) and lifestyle factors (physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, food intake) with socioeconomic status (education, employment, car ownership), acculturation, age, and marital status were examined with Spearman rho, chi-squared, and Mann-Whitney U tests and logistic regression analyses.
RESULTS: Mean age was 29 years. Obesity (40%), physical inactivity (47%), and cigarette smoking (32%) were common. Less acculturated participants were 57% less likely to smoke and 54% less likely to be obese than their more acculturated counterparts. Lower socioeconomic status (not finishing high school or not owning a car) was associated with a higher likelihood of obesity, but unemployed (vs. employed) women were less likely to be obese (P < 0.05). Women who did not own a car consumed meat, eggs and fish less often than those who owned a car. Smokers were more likely to have an unhealthy food intake pattern than nonsmokers.
CONCLUSIONS: The associations of acculturation and socioeconomic status with some lifestyle characteristics suggest the need for culturally appropriate programs to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in this low-income community.
Click here for full text. (pdf)
Symposium: Evidence-Based Public Nutrition:
An Evolving Concept
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla and Janet King
Evidence-Based Public Nutrition: An Evolving Concept
J. Nutr. 2007 137: 478-479. [Full Text]* [PDF]
Janet C. King
An Evidence-Based Approach for Establishing Dietary Guidelines
J. Nutr. 2007 137: 480-483. [Abstract] [Full Text]* [PDF]
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla
Evidence Based Breast-Feeding Promotion: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
J. Nutr. 2007 137: 484-487. [Abstract] [Full Text]* [PDF]
Tim Byers and Rebecca L. Sedjo
Public Health Response to the Obesity Epidemic: Too Soon or Too Late?
J. Nutr. 2007 137: 488-492. [Abstract] [Full Text]* [PDF]
Barbara Schneeman
FDA's Review of Scientific Evidence for Health Claims
J. Nutr. 2007 137: 493-494. [Abstract] [Full Text]* [PDF]
*Full Text requires a subscription to the Journal of Nutrition
