Ethnic Differences in Micronutrient Intake in a Rural Biethnic Population

Abstract

Differences in micronutrient intake have been observed between populations of differing socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnicity. This study reports micronutrient intake among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white (NHW) persons in the rural San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. Current diet was assessed for a geographically based sample of 552 Hispanic and 754 NHW adults 30-74 years of age in two counties of rural southern Colorado (1984-1988). Diet was assessed by 24-hour recall. NHWs reported higher mean calorie intakes than Hispanics of both genders. NHWs had greater intakes of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C than Hispanics, after accounting for ethnic differences in gender, age, and calorie intake. Differences in intake by gender were observed within and between ethnic groups. After adjusting for gender, age, ethnicity, and calories, we observed no statistically significant trends by SES measures. We conclude that diets of Hispanic adults would benefit from the addition of fresh fruits, vegetables, and high-calcium foods.