**Rapport Building, Topic 2 Handout 2.3**

**Barriers to Effective Communication**

**Variety of Ethnic Food Practices with Nutrition Education
Suggestions**

+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Ethnic      | **Traditional | **Typical     | **Nutrition        |
| Group**       | Food          | Foods**       | Education**        |
|               | Practices**   |               |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **African     | Food          | Collard       | High incidence of  |
| American**    | preparation   | greens and    | diabetes, obesity  |
|               | includes      | other leafy   | hypertension, and  |
|               | frying,       | green and     | heart disease      |
|               | barbecuing,   | yellow        |                    |
|               | foods with    | vegetables,   | Increase calcium,  |
|               | gravy and     | legumes,      | fiber, fresh       |
|               | sauces,       | beans, rice,  | fruits and         |
|               | home-baked    | and potatoes  | vegetables         |
|               | cakes and     |               |                    |
|               | pies          |               | Decrease sodium,   |
|               |               |               | saturated fats and |
|               |               |               | sugar content of   |
|               |               |               | traditionally      |
|               |               |               | prepared foods     |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Asian**     | Food          | Rice eaten at | Diet-related       |
|               | preparation   | most meals,   | diseases include   |
| There are     | includes      | low dairy     | stomach cancer and |
| very diverse  | stir-frying,  | intake; fish, | lactose            |
| cultures      | barbecuing,   | pork and      | intolerance with   |
| within the    | deep-frying,  | poultry are   | low incidence of   |
| Asian region  | boiling and   | main protein  | heart disease,     |
| therefore it  | steaming;     | sources; high | bowel and breast   |
| is important  | emphasis on   | vegetable and | cancer             |
| to address    | rice and      | fruit intake  |                    |
| specific      | vegetables,   |               | Increase calcium   |
| individual    | relatively    |               | intake (younger    |
| cultural      | little meat   |               | generations may    |
| customs in    |               |               | consume more       |
| nutrition     | Low           |               | dairy)             |
| education     | consumption   |               |                    |
| sessions      | of milk       |               | Decrease sodium    |
|               | during        |               | intake             |
|               | pregnancy and |               |                    |
|               | lactation     |               |                    |
|               | with no       |               |                    |
|               | increase in   |               |                    |
|               | caloric       |               |                    |
|               | intake; rice  |               |                    |
|               | gruel (rice   |               |                    |
|               | flour and     |               |                    |
|               | water) fed to |               |                    |
|               | breastfed     |               |                    |
|               | infants as    |               |                    |
|               | early as one  |               |                    |
|               | month and     |               |                    |
|               | often the     |               |                    |
|               | only food     |               |                    |
|               | served for    |               |                    |
|               | the first     |               |                    |
|               | year          |               |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| *             | Little use of | Dry, flaky    | High incidence of  |
| *Vietnamese** | oil/fat when  | rice          | lactose            |
|               | frying foods  | supplemented  | intolerance        |
|               |               | with          |                    |
|               | Three meals   | vegetables,   | May need           |
|               | per day with  | eggs and      | instruction on     |
|               | some snacking | small amounts | proper food        |
|               | on soups and  | of meat and   | storage (little    |
|               | fruit         | fish, use of  | use of             |
|               |               | NuocMam (fish | refrigerators in   |
|               |               | sauce) in     | Vietnam with daily |
|               |               | most          | food purchase or   |
|               |               | traditional   | grow at home)      |
|               |               | dishes; hot   |                    |
|               |               | green tea and | May need total     |
|               |               | coffee        | introduction to    |
|               |               | (plain);      | American food      |
|               |               | bananas,      | culture            |
|               |               | mangoes,      |                    |
|               |               | oranges,      |                    |
|               |               | papayas,      |                    |
|               |               | coconuts,     |                    |
|               |               | pineapple     |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+

+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Hmong**     | Three meals   | White rice is | High incidence of  |
|               | per day with  | the staple    | lactose            |
| (from rural   | no snacking;  | food with     | intolerance        |
| mountain      | communal      | vegetables,   |                    |
| areas in      | style meals   | fish, meat    | Increase variety   |
| Laos)         |               | and           | of vegetables and  |
|               | Minimal       | traditional   | fruit in diet;     |
|               | dairy, fat    | spices (hot   | especially citrus  |
|               | and sugar     | peppers,      | fruits for Vitamin |
|               | intake in     | ginger,       | C                  |
|               | diet; cooking | garlic,       |                    |
|               | methods       | coriander,    | Decrease high      |
|               | include       | coconut, and  | sodium intake (soy |
|               | stir-frying,  | lemongrass)   | sauce, fish sauce) |
|               | boiling,      |               |                    |
|               | steaming and  |               |                    |
|               | roasting      |               |                    |
|               | (open fire)   |               |                    |
|               |               |               |                    |
|               | Low           |               |                    |
|               | consumption   |               |                    |
|               | of milk       |               |                    |
|               | during        |               |                    |
|               | pregnancy and |               |                    |
|               | lactation     |               |                    |
|               | with no       |               |                    |
|               | increase in   |               |                    |
|               | caloric       |               |                    |
|               | intake; rice  |               |                    |
|               | gruel (rice   |               |                    |
|               | flour and     |               |                    |
|               | water) fed to |               |                    |
|               | breastfed     |               |                    |
|               | infants as    |               |                    |
|               | early as one  |               |                    |
|               | month and     |               |                    |
|               | often the     |               |                    |
|               | only food     |               |                    |
|               | served for    |               |                    |
|               | the first     |               |                    |
|               | year          |               |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Middle      | Food prep     | Dates,        | High incidence of  |
| Eastern**     | includes      | olives,       | lactose            |
|               | grilling,     | wheat, rice,  | intolerance        |
| There are     | frying,       | legumes, lamb |                    |
| very diverse  | grinding and  | and bread;    | Diet generally     |
| cultures      | stewing       | primarily     | high in            |
| within the    | meats; common | fermented     | monounsaturated    |
| Middle East   | spices        | dairy         | fatty acids due to |
| region;       | include dill, | products such | high consumption   |
| therefore, it | garlic, mint, | as yogurt and | of olive oil; this |
| is important  | cinnamon,     | cheese;       | cultural group is  |
| to address    | oregano,      | legumes used  | known for lower    |
| specific      | parsley and   | in many       | blood pressures    |
| individual    | pepper; olive | dishes        |                    |
| cultural      | oil is        |               | Sodium may be high |
| customs in    | preferred     | Muslims do    | in traditional     |
| nutrition     |               | not eat pork  | food preparation   |
| education     |               | and do not    |                    |
| sessions      |               | drink alcohol |                    |
|               |               | or eat food   |                    |
|               |               | prepared with |                    |
|               |               | alcohol       |                    |
|               |               |               |                    |
|               |               | Jewish people |                    |
|               |               | do not eat    |                    |
|               |               | pork and may  |                    |
|               |               | follow Kosher |                    |
|               |               | dietary       |                    |
|               |               | practices     |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Puerto      | Diet high in  | Rice, beans,  | High incidence of  |
| Rican**       | calories,     | legumes; some | diabetes, heart    |
|               | complex       | milk/calcium  | disease,           |
|               | c             | products;     | hypertension,      |
|               | arbohydrates, | chicken, pork | cancer, arthritis, |
|               | fats and      | sausage,      | gastrointestinal   |
|               | sodium        | turkey, beef, | disorders, and     |
|               |               | pork chops,   | obesity            |
|               | Puerto Rican  | spare ribs,   |                    |
|               | diet highly   | marinated     | Increase calcium   |
|               | Americanized  | pork, some    | and variety of     |
|               | to include    | fish; starchy | vegetables and     |
|               | pizza, hot    | vegetables;   | fruits; promote    |
|               | dogs, canned  | lettuce       | low fat and low    |
|               | spaghetti,    | salads with   | sodium cooking     |
|               | cold cereal,  | tomato        | methods            |
|               | and canned    |               |                    |
|               | soups         | Seasonings    | Decrease sodium,   |
|               |               | include Sazon | saturated fats,    |
|               | Breastfeeding | (high in      | sugary drinks and  |
|               | is common     | MSG),         | foods; encourage   |
|               |               | annatto,      | low fat dairy      |
|               |               | cilantro,     | products           |
|               |               | sofrito       |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Mexic       | Frying of     | Typical diet  | High incidence of  |
| an-American** | foods         | high in       | heart disease,     |
|               | increases fat | complex       | diabetes, obesity, |
|               | content of    | carbohydrates | dental caries and  |
|               | diet          | such as       | over/under         |
|               |               | beans, rice,  | nutrition.         |
|               | Four or five  | corn/corn     |                    |
|               | meals daily   | products and  | Diet often         |
|               |               | bread;        | deficient in       |
|               | Mexi          | adequate      | calcium, iron,     |
|               | can-Americans | protein from  | vitamin A, folate  |
|               | often use     | beans, eggs,  | and vitamin C      |
|               | infant        | fish, beef,   | (especially for    |
|               | formula with  | pork,         | pregnant women);   |
|               | little        | poultry, and  | encourage intake   |
|               | weaning from  | goat          | of low fat dairy,  |
|               | bottle at age |               | lean red meat, and |
|               | of one; baby  |               | fresh fruits and   |
|               | bottle tooth  |               | vegetables         |
|               | decay common  |               |                    |
|               | in toddlers   |               | Decrease saturated |
|               |               |               | fats, sodium, and  |
|               |               |               | sugar              |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| **Native      | Often do not  | Meat or       | Diet is low in     |
| American**    | eat breakfast | meat-based    | fiber, non-starchy |
|               |               | main dish,    | vegetables, fruits |
|               | Food          | potato,       | and milk; and high |
|               | preparation   | macaroni and  | in fat with large  |
|               | often         | bread; common | portion sizes      |
|               | involves      | vegetables    |                    |
|               | frying, and   | include peas, | Increase intake of |
|               | use of high   | corn, green   | fresh fruit and    |
|               | fat/high      | beans, mixed  | vegetables         |
|               | sodium fast   | vegetables,   |                    |
|               | foods,        | iceberg       | Decrease high      |
|               | prepared      | lettuce,      | consumption of     |
|               | foods, snacks | winter squash | saturated fats,    |
|               | and desserts  | (in season),  | sodium, sugary     |
|               | are common;   | cabbage,      | drinks and         |
|               | additional    | turnips,      | desserts and       |
|               | fat, sugar    | onions,       | prepared snack and |
|               | and calories  | potatoes;     | fast foods         |
|               | added to diet | common fruits |                    |
|               | with butter,  | include       |                    |
|               | margarine,    | oranges,      |                    |
|               | mayo,         | apples,       |                    |
|               | luncheon      | bananas,      |                    |
|               | meats and     | fruit         |                    |
|               | soda.         | cocktail,     |                    |
|               |               | canned fruits |                    |
+---------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+

Source: Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheets, Cultural Diversity:
Eating in America @ <http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5230.html>