title: Neighbourhood ethnic composition and diet among Mexican-Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We explore the association between a neighbourhood's ethnic composition and the foods and nutrients consumed by Mexican-Americans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey of a large national sample, from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-94), was linked to the 1990 Census. The outcomes were food frequencies and serum levels of micronutrients. The variable of interest was percentage of Mexican-Americans at the census tract level.
  
  
  METHODS
  United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 5306 Mexican-American men and women aged 17-90 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased percentage of Mexican-Americans at the census tract level was associated with less consumption of fruits, carrots, spinach/greens and broccoli and with lower serum levels of Se, lycopene, alpha-carotene, vitamin C and folate. By contrast, increased percentage of Mexican-Americans at the census tract level was associated with more consumption of corn, tomatoes, hot red chilli peppers and legumes such as beans, lentils or chickpeas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increased percentage of Mexican-Americans at the census tract level was associated with less consumption of selective foods (e.g. some fruits, broccoli) and low levels of serum Se or vitamin C, but it was associated with more consumption of other foods (e.g. legumes, tomatoes, corn products) that may have positive effects on health in this population.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center, EAD-711B, 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. creyes@hsc.unt.edu
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Reyes-Ortiz
authors.forename: Hyunsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eschbach
authors.forename: Yong-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D012643:Selenium; D001205:Ascorbic Acid