title: Dietary pattern change and acculturation of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain information about dietary pattern change of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania and its relationship with demographic characteristics and acculturation indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional self-administered survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 399 Chinese Americans. Statistical analyses performed t Tests, analysis of variance with Tukey post-hoc tests, Spearman rank correlation, and chi(2) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After immigration, Chinese Americans increased consumption frequency of all seven food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, meat/meat alternatives, dairy products, fats/sweets, and beverages) and Western foods while consumption frequency of traditional Chinese foods decreased. Dietary variety also increased after immigration. Higher education and higher income levels were associated with a larger increase in consumption frequency of grains, vegetables, and fruits. Persons who resided in the United States for a longer period of time shared a greater increase in their consumption frequencies of vegetables, fats/sweets, and beverages. Persons with better English proficiency had a greater increase in their consumption frequency of grains, fruits, meat/meat alternatives, and fats/sweets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study can help nutrition educators design appropriate educational programs for first-generation Chinese Americans that can facilitate the adoption of more healthful dietary practices. Nutrition educators should consider the dietary changes of Chinese-American participants, such as skipping breakfast and increased consumption frequency of fats, sweets, and soft drinks, which were observed in this study. For example, acculturated first-generation Chinese Americans should be encouraged to decrease fats, sweets, and soft-drink consumption. Less-acculturated persons should be encouraged to maintain their healthful dietary pattern and increase consumption of vegetables and fruits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, 8L Borland Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. nql105@psu.edu
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cason
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001213:Asian; D001628:Beverages; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats