Enablers and barriers to dietary practices contributing to bone health among early adolescent Somali girls living in Minnesota.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the dietary factors that contribute to bone health among first generation Somali girls and to determine the social and cultural contexts that shape these health behaviors.


METHODS
Findings presented are from a larger, descriptive qualitative study that used a series of focus groups with four cohorts of 11- to 14-year-old Somali girls (n= 39) living in two Minnesota communities.


RESULTS
Cultural tradition, developmental stage, acculturation, and environment were major factors contributing to the intake of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings provide the foundation for the development of culturally relevant promotion of foods rich in calcium and vitamin D.
University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. benbe001@umn.edu
Mary Mescher
MM
Benbenek
Ann W
AW
Garwick
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D