Perceptions of Dietary Acculturation Among Mexican Immigrant Women Residing in a Southwestern US Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Objectives Dietary acculturation consists of adopting food culture after migration to a host country. The purpose of this study was to describe how Mexican-born women perceive factors which contributed to their changes in dietary habits after migrating to the United States (US). Methods Fifteen self-identified Mexican women (41 ± 7 years old) residing in a Southwestern US metropolitan area and who had lived in the US for >1 year participated in semi-structured interviews conducted in Spanish. Interview guides, developed from a constructivist perspective, asked about the US food culture, changes in dietary habits, loss or maintenance of native food culture, and the incorporation of elements of the new food culture. Interview audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed based on pre-established theoretical categories using MAXQDA 2018. Results Half of the participants worked full time (53%) and had a household income of less than $2000/month (53%). When comparing the US food culture to that of Mexico, the majority of participants perceived greater availability and access to fast food (n = 9). Some participants identified feeling pressure for purchasing larger amounts of food to save money (n = 2). Only one participant associated high intake of fresh and nutritious food with the US food culture. Some participants perceived having more competing demands for time, resulting in not having enough time to prepare household meals (n = 3). Women referred to having maintained the consumption of meat, multiple ingredients (e.g., tortillas, limes, chili peppers), and products of Mexican traditional cuisine (n = 15), but having lost flavors (n = 11), commensality (n = 8), ways of preparation (n = 7), food freshness (n = 3) and smells (n = 1). Even though vegetables and trendy-health products were reported as newly incorporated elements in the diet (n = 7), participants also reported the incorporation of frozen (n = 2) and pre-cooked products (n = 2), which they considered are characteristic from the US diet. Conclusions Findings suggest that dietary acculturation among Mexican immigrant women is a complex process. This points to the importance of considering the cultural aspects of diet when designing strategies to improve diet and health for this group. Funding Sources CONACYT, Mexico and Program for Transborder Communities.