Abstract 043: Self-Identified Hispanic/Latino Dietary Identity is Differentially Associated With Diet Quality and Food Intake Across Ethnic Heritages in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study on Latinos
Authors: Josiemer Mattei, Martha Tamez, Daniela Sotres-Alvarez, Anna Maria Siega-Riz, Linda C Gallo, Linda Van Horn, Martha Daviglus, Denise C Vidot, Tali Elfassy, Robert C Kaplan
Journal: Circulation (2019)

Introduction: Characterizing the food intake and dietary quality of diverse Hispanics/Latinos remains challenging given the ethnic-specific sociocultural influences. A construct indicating self-identified dietary identity as traditional Hispanic/Latino versus US-American diet could help identify dietary preferences in this population. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that 1) self-identified foods differed by identity status and country of origin (ethnic heritage), and 2) dietary identity was associated with higher diet quality among Hispanics/Latinos. Methods: We used baseline data from the population-based Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos cohort of adults 18-74y (n=16,275). Dietary identity was self-assessed by rating foods usually consumed as more akin to Hispanic/Latino or to US-American in a scale of 1-5 (higher score denotes more US diet). Dietary intake was assessed with two 24-hour recalls. Diet quality was measured via the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI; range 0-110: higher score denotes higher quality). Linear regression models were run to estimate means of AHEI and its components adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, acculturation, and behavioral factors. We estimated the proportional contribution of food groups to total energy intake using PROC RANK in SAS v9.4. Results: Overall, 42.9% self-identified their diet as mostly Hispanic/Latino, 33.2% as mainly Hispanic/Latino, and 23.8% as equal or mostly/mainly US (last three categories combined as ‘slightly Hispanic/Latino’). AHEI did not differ by dietary identity in the overall cohort, but a significant interaction with heritage was detected (p&lt;0.0001). Analyses by heritage found higher adjusted means (SE) of AHEI among Mexicans with mostly [51.9 (0.40)] and mainly [51.9 (0.40)] Hispanic/Latino dietary identity than slightly Hispanic/Latino [50.9 (0.41); p&lt;0.001)]; but lower AHEI among South Americans with mainly Hispanic/Latino dietary identity [47.6 (0.75)] than slightly Hispanic/Latino [49.2 (0.62); p&lt;0.01)]. In Mexicans, a mostly Hispanic/Latino dietary identity was associated with higher intake of whole grains, and nuts and legumes, and lower intake of sodium; while in Puerto Ricans, it was associated with higher intake of nuts and legumes and lower intake of vegetables without potatoes. The ranking of food groups contributing to total energy intake varied by dietary identity category and across heritages, with the top three foods usually being grains (mostly refined), animal products, and sugars, except for Cubans who ranked fats higher than sugars. Conclusions: Self-identified dietary identity is differentially associated with diet quality in Hispanic/Latino ethnic groups. Ethnic-specific foods that Hispanics/Latinos self-identify as traditional may help tailor nutritional messages and programs for this community that mostly prefers cultural foods.