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Between Tradition and Health: Comparing Community and Expert Perceptions of Hispanic Caribbean Diets in New York City
Author(s) -
Fuster Melissa,
Bank Elina
Publication year - 2017
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.31.1_supplement.961.7
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , focus group , gerontology , population , medicine , health equity , perception , ethnic group , consumption (sociology) , environmental health , public health , psychology , nursing , sociology , social science , neuroscience , anthropology
Nutrition and health disparities are prevalent among Hispanics in the US. While dietitians can serve as vehicles to promote dietary improvements in this population, there is a paucity of research concerning how these experts perceive the diets of the diverse communities they serve. In addition, most of the research and interventions addressing Hispanics tend to focus on the Mexican‐American population or tackle Hispanics as a homogeneous group, failing to acknowledge the variety of dietary practices and traditions in this population. Addressing these research gaps, the present study sought to (1) evaluate dietitians' perceptions and knowledge concerning traditional Hispanic Caribbean (HC) diets, and (2) compare these perceptions with how members of the HC community evaluate the healthfulness of their diets. The study involved key informant interviews with dietitians working with the HC community in clinical and community settings (n=15), and interviews with members of the HC community (23 adults self‐identified as Puerto Rican, Cuban or Dominican) in NYC. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using Atlas.ti. The analysis revealed areas of overlap concerning unhealthful aspects of the HC diet (incl. high fat and carbohydrate consumption, low consumption of fruits and non‐starchy vegetables, and the importance of portion control). Community respondents discussed motivations for dietary change, which were compared with dietitians' notions about barriers and best practices to address nutritional issues in this community. The study also identified potential education needs for future nutrition practitioners working with diverse communities. The results from the study contribute to future clinical and community interventions addressing health disparities affecting Hispanic communities, by providing insight on the dietitians' role and approach when working with a specific segment of the Hispanic population. Support or Funding Information Research support provided by the City University of New York PSC‐CUNY Award # 69195–00 47 and the NYU Post‐Doctoral Fellowship for Academic Diversity.