High-risk nutrient intakes among low-income Mexican women in Chicago, Illinois

The Cross-sectional Cooking, Eating, Nutrition, and Shopping (CENAS) Survey was used to obtain data on food consumption patterns of low-income Mexicans living in Chicago, Ill.

As part of the CENAS Survey, 186 Mexican women provided 24-hour dietary recall data.

Distributions of macronutrient and micronutrient intakes were determined. The proportions of CENAS Survey participants achieving the National Heart Association and National Cancer Institute dietary guidelines were calculated. Intakes of Mexican women in Chicago were compared with intakes of Mexican women of similar socioeconomic status in Texas, Mexican-American women participating in phase 1 of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1991), and Mexican-American women participating in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1982-1984).

Tests were used to compare the nutrient intakes of CENAS Survey respondents with published results from other studies.

The proportion of respondents reporting intakes less than two thirds of Recommended Dietary Allowances for nine micronutrients ranged from 11% (thiamin and riboflavin) to 82% (folacin). Respondents also reported median fat (34% of energy) and fiber (16.9 g/day) intakes that departed from recommendations to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. APPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Half or more of the Mexican women interviewed in Chicago reported inadequate consumption of calcium, folate, zinc, and iron; higher than recommended intakes of fats; and lower than recommended intakes of fiber, indicating the need for nutrition education and intervention. Their nutrient consumptions differed significantly from those of Mexican-American women in the United States, suggesting possible regional or temporal variation in dietary patterns and underscoring the need for population-specific interventions.