Unhealthy Diet of High Socioeconomic Children of Color: Marginalization-Related Diminished Returns

Abstract

Background: While socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as parental educational attainment and household income are among the primary drivers of individual health, the effects of household SES indicators (for example, parental educational attainment and family income) on health behaviors such as a healthy diet may differ by ethnicity, as discussed by the Marginalization related Diminished Returns (MDRs) phenomenon. Objectives: Built on the MDRs, this study had two aims: first, to test the associations between family SES indicators (parental educational attainment and household income) and diet quality, and second, to test ethnic variation in these associations. Materials and Methods: This longitudinal study used the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) baseline and year 2 data. Participants included 5,856 individuals who were either Black, White, Latino, or non-Latino. Age, sex, family structure (parental marital status), parental education, and family income were studied. The outcomes were the amount and frequency of consuming fish, soup, vegetables, fruits, hot dogs, French fries, ketchup, soda, and sugary beverages. Linear regression was used for performing the main data analysis. Results: Overall, high educational attainment and family income showed a positive association with fruit consumption and a negative association with the consumption of hot dogs, fries, soda, and sugary beverages in the overall population. We documented statistically significant interactions between ethnicity and educational attainment and household income on our dietary habits of interest, indicating weaker associations between family SES and diet in Black and Latino than non-Latino White individuals. Conclusion: We observe that household SES differently improves the dietary quality of diverse ethnic groups. Due to MDRs of education and income in ethnic minorities, children from highly educated and high-income families eat less healthily than their non-Latino White counterparts. This finding is in line with the MDRs framework that ethnic health disparities sustain across class lines.