Dietary behaviors associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors in Mexican‐American adults

Abstract

To identify dietary behaviors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Mexican Americans, data on frequency of eating out, consumption of traditional Mexican foods, food group intake, and CVD risk factors were collected in 65 Mexican‐American adults (21 male, 44 female; age=37±10 y; BMI=28.6±5.6 kg/m2; total‐cholesterol [C]=184±40 mg/dL; LDLC= 115±33 mg/dL; HDL‐C=45±11 mg/dL; triglycerides [TG]=129±146 mg/dL). Restaurant dining frequency (11±10 times/month) was positively correlated with total‐C (r=0.250, p<0.05) and LDL‐C (r=0.270, p<0.05). Individuals eating out more frequently (>8.75 times/month) had 26% greater total‐C (205±40 mg/dL vs. 163±29 mg/dL; p<0.0001) and 31% greater LDL‐C (130±33 vs. 99±25; p<0.0001) than those with fewer restaurant visits. Frequency of traditional Mexican food intake (4±2 times/week) was correlated positively with TG (r=0.251, p<0.05) and negatively with HDL‐C (r=−0.252, p<0.05). Eating out and consuming traditional Mexican foods were inversely correlated with fruit intake (r=−0.249 and r=−0.254, respectively; p<0.05). Data suggest that choosing restaurant and/or traditional Mexican foods more frequently may increase CVD risk factors in Mexican Americans. This relationship and how Mexican Americans define ‘traditional Mexican food’ merit further investigation. Funded by Arizona State University.