The Role of Assimilating to the US Culture and the Relationship Between Neighborhood Ethnic Composition and Dietary Intake Among Hispanic Youth

Background Dietary fiber and sugar intake have been shown to affect metabolic health in overweight Hispanic youth. Evidence on the influence of culture on fiber and sugar intake in Hispanic youth is limited. Methods The associations among score for levels of assimilation, neighborhood ethnic characteristics, and daily total and added dietary sugar and dietary fiber intake were assessed using regression analyses. Results One hundred twenty-four Hispanic youth (age = 13.6 ± 3.0, 106 female) were included. The proportion of Hispanic population in the neighborhood was positively associated with fiber intake (standardized β = 0.205, p