Dietary intake of preschool‐aged children in relation to caregivers' race/ethnicity, demographic characteristics, and acculturation: The 2007 California Health Interview Survey

Past studies of older children and adults report that acculturation and dietary intakes are associated in US Hispanics. In this study we analyze the association between dietary intakes of children (3–5 years old) and caregivers' race/ethnicity, demographic traits and acculturation using the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (n=446 Hispanic and 659 non‐Hispanic whites). Caregivers' acculturation was ranked using place of birth, length of US residence, and language spoken at home. Proxy reports by caregivers to a short dietary screener were used to estimate children's intakes of fruit, 100% fruit juice, vegetables, sweets, sweetened beverages, and milk type consumed. In multivariate analyses, caregivers' age, education, and rural residence were associated with intakes of one or more dietary intakes. Reported consumption of vegetables was significantly lower for children of Hispanics versus children of non‐Hispanic whites (β=−0.30, 95%CI=−0.48, −0.13). Caregiver acculturation was positively associated with children's reported consumption of sweets (β=0.09, 95%CI=0.1, 0.18). Caregiver acculturation was only weakly associated with one aspect of diet in the young children studied here. Acculturation‐related changes in diet may occur more rapidly for preschool children or some other factor such as the use of proxy reports may account for the lack of association.