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Neighborhood vendedores (mobile food vendors) as a dependable source to Mexican‐origin children for after‐school and weekend snacks (132.2)
Author(s) -
Sharkey Joseph,
Gomez Melissa
Publication year - 2014
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.28.1_supplement.132.2
Subject(s) - overweight , environmental health , population , medicine , anthropometry , immigration , obesity , demography , gerontology , geography , archaeology , sociology
The Mexican‐origin population is the fastest growing subpopulation in the United States, and at greatest risk for obesity and diabetes. This population growth has been occurring in the burgeoning colonias along the U.S. border with Mexico, especially in Texas and in new destination immigrant communities throughout the U.S. The ready accessibility and utilization of ‘truly’ mobile vendedores (MV) within the community play a role in the types and frequencies of foods marketed to children for purchase after‐school and on weekends. One hundred mother‐child dyads (mother and child 6‐11 years) were recruited by promotora ‐researchers from colonias that were spatially selected from four geographic areas in Hidalgo County, TX. Data were collected by trained promotora ‐researchers in Spanish during three in‐home visits: survey data and anthropometrics separately for the mother and child from the first visit and dietary recalls from the child during all three visits. Among child participants, 62% were girls; 32% were born in Mexico; 42% were overweight or obese; and 54% reported low or very low food security. Children reported a positive perception of the role of MV as a dependable source of food for the family, convenient source of foods, inexpensive foods, and foods that taste good. Children planned in advance for the MV and purchased food after school and on weekends from the MV who marketed in their colonia . The foods purchased were ice cream, raspas , elotes , candy, and chicharrone . More frequent purchase of foods and beverages by children from MV was associated with greater intakes of total energy ( p = 0.004), sodium ( p = 0.017), total sugar ( p = 0.005), and added sugars ( p = 0.017). Findings suggest that strategies for improving the diet of children include neighborhood MV. MV may be a promising venue for increasing neighborhood access to affordable healthy foods in colonia neighborhoods. Grant Funding Source : Supported by RWJF Healthy Eating Research Program