Health Risk Factors and Behaviors of Limited-Income Hispanic Women in EFNEP and WIC

Abstract

To describe health-risk factors and behaviors of EFNEP and WIC participants. Nutrition education provided by EFNEP and WIC may need to better adapt to community needs based on participants' current behaviors and knowledge. In Arizona's Maricopa County, most EFNEP and WIC participants are Hispanic women. For the study, participants completed the EFNEP Behavior Checklist, five questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, demographics, self-reported height and weight, and the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale (BAS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and comparisons were made using chi-square. Significance was set at p<0.05. Of the 374 limited-income women, 49% participated in EFNEP and 51% in WIC. Although 83% self-identified as Hispanic, 46% were Hispanic-dominant (less acculturated), 25% bicultural, and 29% English-dominant (more acculturated) by the BAS. Forty percent had a BMI =30 (obese). Half of the EFNEP behavior checklist items showed significant differences by acculturation status: English-dominant women compared food prices, fed their children after waking, and ran out of food more often than Hispanic-dominant women. Hispanic-dominant women added salt to foods, thawed foods unsafely at room temperature, and left meat and dairy unrefrigerated more often. Notably, 33% of Hispanic-dominant and 9% of English-dominant women did not know their height and/or weight. Only 12% of Hispanic-dominant versus 48% of English-dominant women had ever smoked. Participants lack key knowledge areas of food behaviors, but show differences in health risk factors by acculturation. Bicultural and English-dominant women may benefit from smoking cessation counseling, whereas Hispanic-dominant women may benefit from body composition information.