Developing a Dietary Questionnaire for Rural Mexican Americans.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Assessment
• Cultural Health Disparities

Background:

• Mexican Americans represent a significant and growing demographic in the U.S. with distinct dietary patterns.
• Existing food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) often fail to adequately capture the nuances of Mexican American diets.
• Understanding these dietary behaviors is crucial for public health initiatives and nutritional research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a culturally relevant food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for rural Mexican American populations.
• To investigate the relationship between acculturation and dietary intake within this demographic.
• To identify key traditional Mexican foods and beverages consumed by the target population.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed across three distinct phases.
• Phase 1: Qualitative data collection from rural Mexican Americans (N=15) to identify commonly consumed foods.
• Phase 2: 4-day food records from Mexican Americans (N=19) for dietary data.
• Phase 3: Preliminary assessment of the developed FFQ using a new sample (N=49).

Main Results:

• The final FFQ successfully incorporated traditional Mexican foods and beverages identified by participants.
• Traditional Mexican food and beverage consumption was regular, with minimal dietary variation observed across different acculturation levels.
• Commercial sugar-sweetened beverages were perceived as unhealthy, unlike traditional Mexican drinks, which may be a significant source of added sugars.

Conclusions:

• The developed FFQ is a valuable tool for assessing the diet of rural Mexican Americans.
• Dietary patterns in this population appear resistant to acculturation, emphasizing the importance of traditional foods.
• Further research is needed to explore the role of traditional Mexican beverages as a source of added sugars and their impact on health.