Abstract
BackgroundFew studies have focused on the influencing factors of dietary practices among ethnic minority groups in China, particularly from a social capital perspective.MethodsBetween May and September 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among adults (n = 1,813) from three ethnic minority communities (A Chang, De Ang and Jing Po) in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Dietary intakes during the past 12 months were measured with a 100-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and two forms of social capital (bonding and bridging) were measured using the validated Personal Social Capital Scale 16 (PSCS-16). Principal component factor analysis was used to derive dietary patterns from 20 food groups. Multivariate linear regressions were used to examine the associations between social capital and dietary patterns.ResultsTwo distinct dietary patterns were identified: the traditional and the modern. The traditional pattern was characterized by high consumptions of tubers, poultry, rice, fruits, vegetables and low consumptions of oil and salt, whereas the modern pattern was highly correlated with egg, nut, beverage, snack and oil consumptions. After adjusted for potential confounders, the modern pattern was positively associated with bonding capital (β = 0.066; 95%CI: 0.058, 0.075) and negatively associated with bridging capital (β = -0.017; 95%CI: -0.024, -0.010).ConclusionIn conclusion, an unhealthy dietary pattern was identified among the ethnic minority groups in Southwest China. The influences of people’s social connections on dietary behaviors should be considered in designing and implementing nutrition intervention programs for the population.
Highlights
Good nutrition is vital for both physical and mental health [1]
The traditional pattern was characterized by high consumptions of tubers, poultry, rice, fruits, vegetables and low consumptions of oil and salt, whereas the modern pattern was highly correlated with egg, nut, beverage, snack and oil consumptions
A modern dietary pattern is identified among the ethnic minority groups in Southwest China, which may be attributable to the urbanization in recent years
Summary
Good nutrition is vital for both physical and mental health [1]. it is estimated that 22% of global deaths among adults in 2017 were attributable to dietary risk factors [2]. More in-depth researches on factors that affect diet are urgently needed Apart from factors such as age, sex, education and income, the influence of social capital on dietary behaviors have received increasing attention in recent years. Studies from China and abroad showed that people having high individual social capital are more likely to adhere to a healthy diet [10, 11]. In this sense, social capital intervention might be a promising approach to promote healthy eating. A recent study on older adults in China showed that people with higher bonding and bridging social capital are less likely to skip breakfast [16]. Few studies have focused on the influencing factors of dietary practices among ethnic minority groups in China, from a social capital perspective
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