Description of the home food environment in Black, White, Hmong, Latino, Native American and Somali homes with 5-7-year-old children.

Abstract

To categorize the home food environment and dietary intake of young children (5-7 years old) from racially/ethnically diverse households using objectively collected data. Cross-sectional study. In-home observations in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. Families with 5-7-year-old children who identified as Black, White, Hmong, Latino, Native American or Somali. There were many significant differences by race/ethnicity for child dietary intake and for the home food environment, with specific patterns emerging by race/ethnicity. For example, Somali children had high Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) scores, but low daily intakes of fruits and vegetables. Black children had low HEI-2010 scores and a pattern of low intake of healthful foods and high intake of unhealthful foods. White and Latino families had high levels of both healthful and unhealthful home food availability and children with high HEI-2010 scores. Results indicate that the home food environment of young children varies across racial/ethnic group. Study findings also provide new information regarding the home food environment of young children in previously understudied racial/ethnic groups and indicate that interventions working to improve the home food environment and dietary intake of children may want to consider race/ethnicity.