Dietary Assessment Tools for Hispanics
Author Information
Author(s): Wakimoto Patricia, Block Gladys, Mandel Shelly, Medina Norma
Primary Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Hypothesis
Can brief dietary assessment tools be developed and validated for the Hispanic population?
Conclusion
The screening tools provide a reliable assessment of selected dietary factors among Mexican Americans.
Supporting Evidence
- Correlations between the first and second administration of the screeners were r = 0.64 for fruits and vegetables and r = 0.85 for dietary fat contributors.
- 84% of participants reported consistent use of vitamin supplements at least once per week across both screenings.
- The tools can be scored immediately to provide feedback to respondents.
Takeaway
Researchers created simple questionnaires to help Mexican Americans understand their eating habits, and they found that these tools work well.
Methodology
The study involved developing dietary screeners based on national data, followed by interviews, field testing, and a reliability study with participants completing the screeners twice.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported dietary intake and the limited education level of participants.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on Mexican Americans, which may limit generalizability to other Hispanic subgroups.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily Mexican Americans, with 91.4% born in Mexico, and included 39 men and 54 women with a mean age of 36.5 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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