title: Perceptions of Body Habitus and Cultural Health Among Hispanic Adults.
abstract: To investigate whether perceptions of health and health outcomes are impacted by acculturation level, nativity, and years in the United States (US) for Hispanic adults in the Nebraska Panhandle. Focus groups (n = 10), surveys (demographics, body image silhouettes, and acculturation), and anthropometric measurements were conducted. US-born (n = 36) had higher household incomes, education level, and acculturation scores compared to foreign-born (n = 23). Years in the US was positively correlated with acculturation and anthropometrics. No significant differences were detected between groups for rating infant and adolescent health, indicating mid-sized infants were considered healthy and heavier adolescents had increased health risks. However, qualitative data revealed misconceptions regarding obesity and chronic disease and a cultural preference for heavier infants. Despite differences between groups, qualitative data indicated cultural perceptions of health still persist. Data indicates a need for behavioral modification using culturally appropriate methods and for collecting quantitative and qualitative data.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Health Sciences Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 110 Ruth Leverton Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0806, USA, lfranzen2@unl.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franzen-Castle
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aguirre
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D017144:Focus Groups; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors