Graduation Date

Spring 5-10-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Programs

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research

First Advisor

Dejun Su, Ph.D.

MeSH Headings

Hispanic Americans, Mexican Americans, Acculturation, Cultural Competency, Diet, Healthy, Fast Foods, Convenience Foods, Food Services, Food Habits, Food Security, Food Insecurity, Body Mass Index, Socioeconomic Factors, Poverty Areas, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Cross-Sectional Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Linear Models, Regression Analysis, Sampling Studies

Abstract

Background. This mixed-methods dissertation explores how acculturation influences dietary behaviors among Hispanics of Mexican origin. As acculturation progresses, traditional dietary patterns may shift toward Westernized eating habits, increasing chronic disease risk. This research draws on the NIMHD Research Framework to examine how cultural, behavioral, and structural factors shape diet across generational lines.

Methods. Study 1 was a rapid review of 89 peer-reviewed articles (2014–2024) using PRISMA and JBI guidelines. Study 2 analyzed dietary and demographic data from 2,057 adults in NHANES 2017–March 2020. Acculturation was operationalized through a composite index based on nativity, years in the U.S., and language use. HEI-2020 scores were calculated using NCI scoring macros. Study 3 involved semi-structured interviews with 20 Mexican-origin adults in Nebraska (10 first-generation, 10 second-generation), analyzed using theoretical content analysis.

Results. Study 1 found that higher acculturation was associated with lower dietary quality and fewer healthy behaviors. In Study 2, Mexican Americans had lower HEI-2020 scores (51.61) than Other Hispanics (54.11; p = 0.006), and highly acculturated Mexican Americans scored lower (50.68) than their low acculturation counterparts (53.14; p = 0.006). Study 3 revealed that first-generation participants retained traditional cooking practices tied to identity and disease prevention, while second-generation participants described blending cultural foods with health trends and emotional eating patterns.

Conclusion. Across all three studies, higher acculturation was consistently linked to less favorable dietary patterns. Findings underscore the importance of culturally grounded, generation-specific interventions to support healthy eating in Mexican-origin populations.

Comments

2025 Copyright, the authors

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