TY - JOUR
T1 - Dietary pattern change and acculturation of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania
AU - Lv, Nan
AU - Cason, Katherine L.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank the Pennsylvania Chinese organizations and Chinese schools for assistance in distributing the questionnaires; J. Lynne Brown, PhD, RD; Catherine N. Cutter, PhD; and Cathy Kassab, PhD for their suggestions. This study was funded through the Department of Food Science at the Pennsylvania State University and Nutrition, Health and Food Management Division Student Grant from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
PY - 2004/5
Y1 - 2004/5
N2 - Objective To obtain information about dietary pattern change of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania and its relationship with demographic characteristics and acculturation indicators. Design A cross-sectional self-administered survey. Subjects A convenience sample of 399 Chinese Americans. Statistical analyses performed t Tests, analysis of variance with Tukey post-hoc tests, Spearman rank correlation, and χ2 test. Results After immigration, Chinese Americans increased consumption frequency of all seven food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, meat/meat alternatives, dairy products, fats/sweets, and beverages) and Western foods while consumption frequency of traditional Chinese foods decreased. Dietary variety also increased after immigration. Higher education and higher income levels were associated with a larger increase in consumption frequency of grains, vegetables, and fruits. Persons who resided in the United States for a longer period of time shared a greater increase in their consumption frequencies of vegetables, fats/sweets, and beverages. Persons with better English proficiency had a greater increase in their consumption frequency of grains, fruits, meat/meat alternatives, and fats/sweets. Conclusions This study can help nutrition educators design appropriate educational programs for first-generation Chinese Americans that can facilitate the adoption of more healthful dietary practices. Nutrition educators should consider the dietary changes of Chinese-American participants, such as skipping breakfast and increased consumption frequency of fats, sweets, and soft drinks, which were observed in this study. For example, acculturated first-generation Chinese Americans should be encouraged to decrease fats, sweets, and soft-drink consumption. Less-acculturated persons should be encouraged to maintain their healthful dietary pattern and increase consumption of vegetables and fruits.
AB - Objective To obtain information about dietary pattern change of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania and its relationship with demographic characteristics and acculturation indicators. Design A cross-sectional self-administered survey. Subjects A convenience sample of 399 Chinese Americans. Statistical analyses performed t Tests, analysis of variance with Tukey post-hoc tests, Spearman rank correlation, and χ2 test. Results After immigration, Chinese Americans increased consumption frequency of all seven food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, meat/meat alternatives, dairy products, fats/sweets, and beverages) and Western foods while consumption frequency of traditional Chinese foods decreased. Dietary variety also increased after immigration. Higher education and higher income levels were associated with a larger increase in consumption frequency of grains, vegetables, and fruits. Persons who resided in the United States for a longer period of time shared a greater increase in their consumption frequencies of vegetables, fats/sweets, and beverages. Persons with better English proficiency had a greater increase in their consumption frequency of grains, fruits, meat/meat alternatives, and fats/sweets. Conclusions This study can help nutrition educators design appropriate educational programs for first-generation Chinese Americans that can facilitate the adoption of more healthful dietary practices. Nutrition educators should consider the dietary changes of Chinese-American participants, such as skipping breakfast and increased consumption frequency of fats, sweets, and soft drinks, which were observed in this study. For example, acculturated first-generation Chinese Americans should be encouraged to decrease fats, sweets, and soft-drink consumption. Less-acculturated persons should be encouraged to maintain their healthful dietary pattern and increase consumption of vegetables and fruits.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jada.2004.02.032
DO - 10.1016/j.jada.2004.02.032
M3 - Article
C2 - 15127063
AN - SCOPUS:2342632588
SN - 0002-8223
VL - 104
SP - 771
EP - 778
JO - Journal of the American Dietetic Association
JF - Journal of the American Dietetic Association
IS - 5
ER -