Acculturation, Familial Support, and Unhealthful Dietary Patterns: Evaluating Notable Trends in a Latino Population

Increased acculturation among Latinos has been associated with a decrease in the quality of dietary habits and an increase in the prevalence of obesity. The aim of this pilot study was to compare the consumption of fast/processed foods and sugary beverages in Spanish speaking vs. non-Spanish speaking Hispanics and those born in the United States with immigrants. We also explored the degree of familial support individuals received for incorporating healthy lifestyle habits across acculturation levels. Surveys were completed by 50 Hispanic community participants residing in Southern California. Questions pertaining to acculturation, eating habits, and familial support were analyzed for frequency and correlational significance via SPSS v. 24. Analyses revealed a statistically significant difference in the frequency of consumption of fast food/packaged food across both units of analysis: being born in the United States and speaking predominantly English correlated with greater consumption of fast and processed food (both p