A preliminary assessment of acculturation and its relationship to body size and glucose intolerance among Blacks in the US Virgin Islands.
OBJECTIVE
This study is a preliminary investigation of the relationship of acculturation to body size and glucose intolerance among African Caribbeans living in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI).


METHODS
Focus groups were used to identify items for measuring acculturation, and validity and reliability procedures were performed on the items. The acculturation items were administered to a population-based sample of 740 individuals aged 20 years and older. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were taken and a fasting blood sample was also drawn.


RESULTS
Factor analysis showed that the acculturation items clustered as 3 factors that appeared to represent: 1) the 'adoption' of USVI-American values; 2) 'integration' and practice of USVI customs; and 3) allegiance to 'traditional' African-Caribbean values and customs. Each factor exhibited relationships to demographic variables that were characteristic of acculturation, with the mean adoption (AD) score being significantly (P=.0002) higher for USVI-born persons than for African-Caribbean immigrants [AD=11.3 (95% CI=11.0-11.6) vs AD=10.6 (95% CI=10.4-10.8), respectively], while African-Caribbean immigrants had a higher (P=.0001) traditional score (TS) compared to USVI-born persons [TS=9.0 (95% C=8.8-9.2) vs TS=7.0 (95% CI=6.7-7.2), respectively]. In regression analyses adjusting for age, education, income, smoking, and alcohol consumption, the 'adoption' factor was independently and positively related to BMI (P=.02) among USVI-born African Caribbeans, and to fasting glucose (P=.005) among African-Caribbean immigrants.


CONCLUSIONS
Acculturation is associated with increased body size and diabetes risk in African Caribbeans in the USVI and appears to bear a differential impact according to place of birth.
Virgin Islands Center for Chronic Disease Research, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. est@pitt.edu
Eugene S
ES
Tull
John J
JJ
Ambrose
Earle
E
Chambers
D000069:Acculturation; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D001741:Black or African American; D000886:Anthropometry; D044383:Black People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014767:United States Virgin Islands / Q000453:epidemiology
D001786:Blood Glucose