Association of Education Level with Atherogenic Diets in a Rural Biethnic Population

Better definition of dietary intakes among subpopulations will facilitate the implementation of relevant public health interventions. This study describes total calorie and macronutrient intake by level of education as reported by Hispanic and non-Hispanic white persons in the rural San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. Current diet was assessed for a geographically based sample of 552 Hispanic and 754 non-Hispanic white (NHW) adults 30-74 years of age in two counties of rural southern Colorado (1984-1988). Diet was assessed by 24-hour recall. Hispanic men and women reported lower total calorie intakes at all ages than NHWs; however, the macronutrient composition was similar between groups (38.5% and 46.0% of calories from fat and carbohydrate, respectively). Ethnic differences in body size and reported physical activity did not account for ethnic differences in reported calorie intake. In both ethnic groups, subjects with more education reported higher calorie intake and less atherogenic diets (lower total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and Keys Index; higher polyunsaturated fat, P/S ratio, and total carbohydrate). In Hispanics and NHWs, lower education groups may require targeted interventions to decrease total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Further study is needed to understand the ethnic difference in reported calorie intake.