Diana Cuy Castellanos

Dietary Acculturation in Latinos/Hispanics in the United States

As a person acculturates into a new culture, dietary changes may occur. This is termed dietary acculturation and is a complex process that has been observed in the Hispanic population in the United States. As acculturation occurs, traditional dietary behaviors are shed, and behaviors representative of the US diet are adopted. Many diet-related psychological and environmental factors may influence this diet change in the Hispanic population. It is important for health professionals to identify factors that may be causing unhealthy dietary behaviors and determine the most appropriate forms to address them. By identifying and addressing negative dietary change and behaviors, certain diet-related health issues commonly seen in this population, such as obesity and diabetes, may be prevented or managed.As a person acculturates into a new culture, dietary changes may occur. This is termed dietary acculturation and is a complex process that has been observed in the Hispanic population in the United States. As acculturation occurs, traditional dietary behaviors are shed, and behaviors representative of the US diet are adopted. Many diet-related psychological and environmental factors may influence this diet change in the Hispanic population. It is important for health professionals to identify factors that may be causing unhealthy dietary behaviors and determine the most appropriate forms to address them. By identifying and addressing negative dietary change and behaviors, certain diet-related health issues commonly seen in this population, such as obesity and diabetes, may be prevented or managed.

Using the Diffusion of Innovations to Develop Healthy Cooking Demonstrations at a Farmers’ Market

A community collaborative between the city, local nonprofit organizations, academicians, and local food producers developed a farmers’ market in a low-income and ethnically diverse area to encourage fresh food access to all residents as well as promote local food sales. Furthermore, culturally tailored cooking demonstrations using the diffusion of innovations theory were implemented at the market. Fruit and vegetable consumption significantly increased among market attendees. Furthermore, the inclusion of cooking demonstrations at the market was positively correlated to fruit and vegetable consumption and had vendors indicated that they had positive effects on sales.

Bridging the gaps between ecology and nutrition: a middle school–university collaboration

ABSTRACT This article examines the design and evaluation of a novel, cross-institutional, classroom-based nutrition intervention program created by a seventh grade science teacher and a university instructor. The collaborative project centered around a unique curriculum-based objective as well as an extracurricular aim for each class. Undergraduates taking the community dietetics course designed, facilitated, and evaluated a tailored, community nutrition intervention. Seventh graders explained how organisms in a biome depend on the available biotic and abiotic resources, and how matter cycles continually among organisms and the physical environment. Additionally, the collaboration aimed to synergistically enhance all students’ academic experience by nurturing dietetics students’ cultural competence as well as by encouraging seventh graders to simultaneously explore their nutrition-related attitudes and make connections among diet and food webs. Following the experience, undergraduates reported that the project positively contributed to their personal growth, civic engagement, and overall academic experience. Seventh graders’ post-project discussions revealed confusion and roadblocks adolescents face related to healthy eating. The results of this study indicate that cross-institutional collaborations provide meaningful experiences within the undergraduate dietetics curriculum and that small-group discussions focused on identifying students’ confusion and barriers can guide health educators to creating relevant and engaging programs for youth.

Food insecurity, financial priority, and nutrition literacy of university students at a mid-size private university

Abstract Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine food insecurity in a mid-sized private Catholic university, taking into consideration students’ financial prioritization and nutrition literacy. Participants: Participants included 560 university undergraduate and graduate students in the fall of 2017. Methods: Measures assessed food insecurity, nutrition literacy, and financial prioritization. The USDA 6-question food insecurity screener and the New Vital Signs Food Label Instruments were utilized to measure food security and nutrition literacy. To measure financial priority, participants ranked nine items from highest to lowest priority. Results: Out of 560 university students, 35.8% of students were characterized as food insecure. Students who prioritized spending money on alcohol or tuition had higher odds of experiencing food insecurity. Conclusion: Prevalence of food insecurity may be as prevalent in private universities as in public universities. This warrants exploration to identify contributing factors and long-term solutions.

Nutritional Considerations for Hispanics

Hispanics are the largest and the fastest-growing minority group. Almost half of Hispanics currently residing in the USA are foreign-born and come from different racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Hispanics in the USA face such health disparities as high rates of obesity and diabetes, low health literacy, and low access to health care. Several health outcomes and disparities are diet-related. Dietary behaviors are important to address, but because these behaviors vary within and between sub-populations health promotion and disease prevention and control are complex matters. Factors influencing dietary behavior within the different Hispanic groups include but are not limited to nativity, pre-migration diet and environment, post-migration environment, acculturation, gender, values, knowledge, and beliefs. Thus, a range of factors need to be considered when addressing dietary behaviors in this population to ensure interventions are culturally appropriate and effective. This chapter provides an overview of the Hispanic population in the USA, followed by a detailed description of dietary behaviors and influencing factors observed in the population, and finally, a discussion of dietary considerations and interventions.

Perspectives on the development of a local food system: the case of Dayton, Ohio

ABSTRACT Multiple sectors play vital roles in a community’s development and maintenance of a sustainable local food system. This study explored the perceptions of 22 representatives from the civil society, public, and private sectors in Dayton, OH, about the development of the region’s local food system. The researchers employed grounded theory methodology for data collection and analysis. Core themes from the participants of each sector group emerged from the data and areas of convergence and divergence among groups were reported.