Individual and area-based indicators of acculturation and the metabolic syndrome among low-income Mexican American women living in a border region

K.E. De Los Monteros, L.C. Gallo, J.P. Elder and G.A. Talavera

American Journal of Public Health, 2008, vol. 98, issue 11, 1979-1986

Abstract: Objectives. We sought to examine the relationships between individual and area-based indicators of acculturation and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk among a sample of Mexican American women living in the California-Baja California border region. Methods. We examined data collected between October 2003 and December 2004 from 141 women (mean age=47.07 years) who completed physical and psychosocial assessments. We reviewed medical records for laboratory values. Results. Individual-level US acculturation was associated with a greater consumption of fruits, vegetables, and fiber; increased odds of engaging in health-enhancing levels of physical activity; and decreased odds of meeting the clinical criteria for MetS. Moreover, beyond the influence of individual-level factors, US neighborhood acculturation was associated with less fat intake. Conclusions. These findings provide preliminary evidence for a relationship between acculturation and the development of MetS in this population. Such information may assist efforts aimed at understanding and eliminating ethnic disparities in MetS risk and related health conditions.

Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2008.141903_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.141903

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