title: Acculturation, Income and Vegetable Consumption Behaviors Among Latino Adults in the U.S.: A Mediation Analysis with the Bootstrapping Technique.
abstract: This study examined whether household income mediates the relationship between acculturation and vegetable consumption among Latino adults in the U.S. Data from the 2009 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Vegetable consumption index was created based on the frequencies of five kinds of vegetables intake. Acculturation was measured with the degree of English language use at home. Path model with bootstrapping technique was employed for mediation analysis. A significant partial mediation relationship was identified. Greater acculturation [95 % bias corrected bootstrap confident interval (BCBCI) = (0.02, 0.33)] was associated with the higher income and in turn, greater vegetable consumption. At the same time, greater acculturation was associated with lower vegetable consumption [95 % BCBCI = (-0.88, -0.07)]. Findings regarding the income as a mediator of the acculturation-dietary behavior relationship inform unique intervention programs and policy changes to address health disparities by race/ethnicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Box 455033, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-5033, USA. lopeze5@unlv.nevada.edu.
authors.forename: Erick B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Box 455033, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-5033, USA.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012723:Sex; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Assimilation; Diet; Health disparity; Hispanic; Path analysis