Premium
The Hispanic Dietary Mosaic: Assessing the Diet of Women in Puerto Rico in the Atabey Study
Author(s) -
SchelskeSantos Michelle,
Nazario Cruz María,
Rosario Rosado Rosa V.,
MansillaRivera Imar,
Hernández Johan,
Ramírez Marrero Farah A.,
McCann Susan,
Freudenheim Jo L.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1061.1
Subject(s) - environmental health , mosaic , culturally appropriate , population , disease , gerontology , medicine , geography , archaeology , pathology
Hispanics represent a variety of cultures with roots in Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean. Important differences exist in ancestry, disease patterns, health behaviors, and even in language. Appropriate vocabulary and visual aids are essential for dietary assessment, for defining specific food items and portion sizes. Careful distinctions must be made between foods with the same Spanish name, yet different nutrient composition. Incomplete or misclassified dietary data may mask or severely limit the possibilities of demonstrating true correlations between diet and disease, and understanding health disparities. Objective In the Atabey Study, we are developing techniques for obtaining culturally‐specific dietary data for women living in Puerto Rico, in order to assess dietary exposures in relation to risk of breast cancer and other co‐morbidities. Methods A booklet of photographs was constructed to define portion sizes for key beverages and foods. Questions were designed to distinguish traditional dietary patterns from more acculturated diets both in childhood and adulthood. The nutrient database includes culturally‐specific recipes. Conclusion Development of culturally‐specific dietary assessment tools requires in‐depth understanding of the specific population being studied in order to provide insight into underlying health disparities. Funded in part by DOD CDMRP, BC060131