immigration coming from Asia and Latin America.
From 1980 to 2000 the Hispanic population within
the United States doubled. More than 40% of His-
panics were living in the western part of the country at
the end of the century. In 2000, New Mexico had a
higher proportion of Hispanics in its population than
any other state, with 42% of its population being of
Hispanic origin. The high growth rate among His-
panics is attributable to higher fertility rates than
those observed in other ethnic groups, and to increases
in immigration, especially in border states such as
California and Texas. Compared to the non-Hispanic
white population, the Hispanic population in the
United States is younger, less educated, economically
disadvantaged, and more likely to live in larger house-
holds. However, there are significant differences
among the Hispanic subpopulations, with those of
Mexican origin being relatively less advantaged and
those of Cuban origin being relatively more advan-
taged in terms of education and income.DescriptionCharacteristics of the Hispanic diet
The contemporary diet of Hispanics in the United
States is heavily influenced by the traditional dietary
patterns of their countries of origin, as well as by the
dietary practices of the adopted communities in which
they live. As such, there are many regional differences
between Hispanic subgroups, both in terms of the
composition of the diet and the means of food prepa-
ration. Despite the heterogeneous ancestral back-
grounds of Hispanic Americans, many Hispanics still
retain core elements of the traditional Hispanic diet,
including a reliance on grains and beans and the incor-
poration of fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet.
Family life has traditionally occupied a central place
in Hispanic culture, and this has influenced dietary
behaviors through home preparation of meals and
the practice of families eating together.
Information about what Hispanics in the United
States eat has been compiled through national surveys
conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). Among the highlights of these data are that
Hispanics tend to eat more rice, but less pasta and
ready-to-eat cereals, than their non-Hispanic white
counterparts. With the exception of tomatoes, His-
panics are also less likely to consume vegetables,
although they have a slightly higher consumption of
fruits. Compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics
are more than twice as likely to drink whole milk, but
much less likely to drink low-fat or skim milk. His-
panics are also more likely to eat beef, but less likely toeat processed meats such as hot dogs, sausage, and
luncheon meats. Hispanics are more likely to eat eggs
and legumes than non-Hispanic whites, and less likely
to consumefatsand oils or sugars and candy.
Analysis of the macronutrient content of the diet
reveals that Hispanics, especially Mexican Americans,
have a lower intake of total fat and a higher intake of
dietaryfibercompared to non-Hispanic white popu-
lations, with much of the dietary fiber coming from
legumes. In general, Mexican Americans and other
Hispanic subgroups are low in many of the same
micronutrients as the general population, with intakes
ofvitamin E,calcium, andzincfalling below Recom-
mended Daily Allowances.Acculturation and the Hispanic Diet
Just as Hispanics have altered American cuisine,
American culture has also altered the diet of Hispanic
Americans. As with many other immigrant groups in
the United States, the lifestyle of Hispanic Americans
is undergoing a transition away from one based on the
traditional values and customs of their ancestry, as
they begin to adopt the values and behaviors of their
adopted country. With regard to health behaviors, this
process of acculturation is typically characterized by a
more sedentary lifestyle and a change in dietary pat-
terns. The effects of acculturation on the Hispanic diet
are illustrated in national dietary survey data that
show that Hispanic Americans who continue to use
Spanish as a primary language eat somewhat more
healthful diets than those who use English as a pri-
mary language. These healthier eating behaviors
include lower consumption of fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol. Additional analysis of these survey data
reveals that these dietary differences do not appear to
be the result of greater nutritional knowledge or
greater awareness of food-disease relationships.KEY TERMS
cholesterol—Multi-ringed molecule found in ani-
mal cell membranes; a type of lipid.
diabetes—Inability to regulate level of sugar in the
blood.
glucose—A simple sugar; the most commonly used
fuel in cells.
macronutrient—Nutrient needed in large quantities.
saturated fat—A fat with the maximum possible
number of hydrogens; more difficult to break
down than unsaturated fats.Hispanic and Latino diet