Association between sugar‐sweetened beverage intake and proxies of acculturation among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic white adults (LB373)

Abstract

Because there is limited information on the association between acculturation of Hispanics and their sugar‐sweetened beverage (SSB) intake, we examine this question in the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative sample of US adults. Analyses were restricted to Hispanic and US‐born non‐Hispanic (NH) white (n=17,142) respondents. The outcome was daily SSB intake (regular soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened coffee/tea drinks). Exposure variables were race/ethnicity and proxies of acculturation (language of interview, birthplace, and years living in the US). We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) for exposure variables associated with SSB intake 蠅1 time/day, adjusting for sociodemographics, region, and weight status. The odds of drinking SSB 蠅1 time/day was significantly higher among Hispanics who completed the interview in Spanish (OR=1.65 vs. US‐born NH whites) and foreign‐born Hispanic adults who lived in the US for 5–<10 years (OR=2.72), those who lived in the US for 10–<15 years (OR=2.90), and those who lived in the US for 蠅15 years (OR=2.41) than those who lived in the US for <5 years. But, birthplace was not associated with SSB intake. The acculturation process is complex and these findings contribute to identifying important subpopulations that may benefit from targeted intervention approaches to reduce SSB intake.