Individual and Area-Based Indicators of Acculturation and the Metabolic Syndrome Among Low-Income Mexican American Women Living in a Border Region

Abstract

We sought to examine the relationships between individual and area-based indicators of acculturation and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk among a sample of Mexican American women living in the California-Baja California border region. We examined data collected between October 2003 and December 2004 from 141 women (mean age = 47.07 years) who completed physical and psychosocial assessments. We reviewed medical records for laboratory values. Individual-level US acculturation was associated with a greater consumption of fruits, vegetables, and fiber; increased odds of engaging in health-enhancing levels of physical activity; and decreased odds of meeting the clinical criteria for MetS. Moreover, beyond the influence of individual-level factors, US neighborhood acculturation was associated with less fat intake. These findings provide preliminary evidence for a relationship between acculturation and the development of MetS in this population. Such information may assist efforts aimed at understanding and eliminating ethnic disparities in MetS risk and related health conditions.