Open AccessAcculturation is Associated with Dietary Patterns in South Asians in America
Author(s) -
Meghana D. Gadgil,
Namratha R. Kandula,
Alka M. Kanaya
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of immigrant and minority health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.758
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1557-1920
pISSN - 1557-1912
DOI - 10.1007/s10903-020-01016-3
Subject(s) - acculturation , logistic regression , demography , public health , ordered logit , medicine , environmental health , gerontology , geography , immigration , sociology , nursing , archaeology , machine learning , computer science
Acculturation may influence diet pattern, a risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. We assessed whether strength of traditional cultural beliefs and practices, a robust measure of acculturation, affects diet pattern among South Asians in America. With data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort, we used ordinal logistic regression to assess the association between strength of traditional cultural beliefs, 6 cultural practices and diet pattern. Of 892 participants, 47% were women. Weaker traditional cultural beliefs [OR(95%CI) 1.07(1.04,1.10)] and cultural practices (p < 0.05) were associated with consuming more of the Animal Protein dietary pattern and less [0.95(0.93,0.97)] of the Fried snacks, Sweets, High-fat dairy (FSHD) pattern (P < 0.05). South Asians in America with stronger traditional cultural beliefs and practices were more likely to consume the FSHD pattern. Prevention programs may consider dietary pattern modification as part of comprehensive risk reduction in South Asians.