Introduction
Currently, paying attention to one’s eating habits is crucial for maintaining individual health. An increasing number of studies are focusing on the nutritional component of nutrition. However, no less important is the culture in which people grew up, as it has a strong influence on eating behavior. Therefore, there are high-risk nutritional behavior practices in African American and Latino cultures that require research and determination of their role in shaping this behavior.
This research paper will analyze unhealthy eating habits prevalent in African American and Latino cultures. This analysis will involve defining the historical context and examining the traditional and cultural factors, including belief systems, that strongly influence dietary preferences, consumption patterns, and attitudes toward food. The study will also include an objective analysis of healthcare providers’ roles, as their interactions with individuals from these cultures can either exacerbate or mitigate these high-risk eating behaviors.
Nutritional Behavior
African Americans
The first culture to be considered as an example of high-risk nutritional behaviors among the population is the African American culture. Before proceeding to discuss the habits and food culture of this community, it is necessary to consider its historical background. This is because African Americans, for many years, became enslaved and served masters, which caused multiple inequalities and disparities in society (Smith, 2021). Due to this circumstance, representatives of this culture continue to face challenges in the social, economic, and political spheres. Thus, many people of color do not have the opportunity to receive wages on par with white workers. This aspect directly affects what people eat.
Consequently, one of the reasons for indulgence in nutrition choices that pose a health risk is a low socio-economic status. People often lack the opportunity to purchase healthy and highly nutritious food because they cannot afford it. Moreover, it is important to note that African Americans often live in poor neighborhoods where there is low availability of and the number of stores that provide healthier options.
Thus, due to these conditions, people buy what they can afford, which is a result of eating food that contains few useful substances, such as fiber and calcium, and a lot of fat, salt, and carbohydrates (Ford, 2022). The phenomenon under discussion was called food insecurity; it was “hypothesized to promote the prevalence of metabolic risk factors on the causal pathway to diet‐sensitive non‐communicable diseases” (Nkambule et al., 2021, p.). Thus, high-risk nutritional behavior among representatives of African American culture can lead to serious health consequences, which causes great concern.
The long history of slavery has also affected the type of food and what is most common in this community. Hence, due to the inability to afford healthy products and their variety, individuals resorted to cooking with improvised products. This aspect was reflected in the fact that the traditional food for this population group is soul food. Ford (2022) pointed out that “black-eyed peas, yams, and sweet potatoes are a few of the foods that commonly appear in soul food dishes” (para. 5). At the moment, this type of cuisine is also characterized by fried and breaded food, which has low nutritional value. Thus, African American culture is one of the permanent examples of harmful dietary practices that history has had a significant impact on.
Latino Americans
Another culture in eating habits that may highlight high risk is the Latino culture. This culture is characterized by one of the richest and brightest traditions, which is also reflected in the food commonly consumed. Family values are also of great importance to the Latino community, and they contribute to the transmission of characteristic cuisine from one generation to the next (Canun, 2022). Thus, unhealthy eating habits may persist, which has a significant impact on the health quality of this population group.
Hispanic culture presents a rich history of these people and encompasses a diverse range of dishes. The most recognizable elements of this cuisine are tortillas, salsa, tacos, and quesadillas, which are often paired with additional dishes. However, a special contribution to this food culture was made by the migration of the Latino and Mexican population to the United States of America.
Research stated that “greater acculturation has been associated with higher intakes of less healthy foods (sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food) and lower intakes of healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) among Hispanic/Latino adults” (p. 1304). Therefore, the overwhelming influence of American culture has significantly transformed the way representatives of Latino heritage eat.
Dangerous food consumption also arises from a lack of knowledge about safety and nutrition. This is primarily because this population group, like the African American, faces large amounts of bias and discrimination (Daniller, 2021). Therefore, due to its socio-economic status, the Latino community has low access to educational services. The primary consequence is a lack of knowledge about the benefits and risks associated with many foods and nutrients.
In addition, the language barrier plays a leading role in many spheres of life for representatives of this culture. In relation to food and unhealthy eating, it is essential to emphasize that individuals often struggle to understand the information on packaging and accurately assess the nutritional value of a particular product. In addition to this example, the language barrier significantly impacts people’s level of knowledge, which in turn negatively affects their eating habits.
It is worth noting that high-risk nutritional behavior poses a significant threat to the African American and Latino populations of the United States of America. This is because improper nutrition is one of the leading causes of health problems. One of the common consequences is obesity, along with the subsequent problems it causes for the body’s systems (“Poor nutrition,” n.d.). In addition, with indulgence in bad eating habits, individuals can develop cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. These welfare deviations can be caused by factors such as a high intake of fat and carbohydrates, combined with a low intake of other essential nutrients, like fiber or protein.
Historical Perspectives and Belief Systems
When considering high-risk nutritional behavior, which is practiced in African American and Latino cultures, it is necessary to pay more detailed attention to the historical perspective and the system of values and views. This is because eating habits are formed based on the cultural characteristics of a particular group, which in turn were created in the course of history (Reddy & Anitha, 2015). Events such as colonization, slavery, and socialization played a significant role in shaping the nutritional behaviors of the cultures under discussion. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate these aspects to obtain the most comprehensive understanding of the issue.
African Americans
As already mentioned, slavery played one of the leading roles in shaping the nutritional behavior of the African American population. First of all, this is due to the fact that, being at the mercy of their masters, individuals receive a minimum amount of food or starve (Freeman, 2020). The leading food that the enslaved people were fed was either leftovers or low-quality, unhealthy, and low-nutrition food because slaveholders did not have to spend a lot of money on it.
Moreover, most of this food contained a large amount of fat, which could maintain the energy of enslaved people for a long time. Because of this treatment and attitude toward food, at the moment, representatives of the African American community prefer fatty and high-calorie foods.
The long history of slavery has also affected the availability of healthier options for this population group. Currently, there are several segregated territories in many cities, which are populated mainly by people of color. Due to the discrimination and prejudices that modern society still struggles to overcome, a limited number of shops offering healthy and nutritious food are located in these areas (Testa & Jackson, 2019). However, another challenge is that not all individuals can afford to buy there due to their economic situation. This aspect is the next factor that influences high-risk nutritional behavior in African Americans.
Regarding beliefs, it is worth noting that for the African American population, as well as Latino people, cultural values, traditions, and heritage are of great importance. Consequently, soul food is especially common in this culture (Ford, 2022). It plays the role of honoring not only history and traditions but also an aspect that unites and brings together several generations.
Additionally, food in this culture plays a significant role in socializing people to one another. However, this type of food is unhealthy and can have a negative impact on the body’s state. This is due to the fact that it mainly consists of fried foods, fatty meats, and added sugars. In particular, it is dangerous for use by children who, even at an early age, with excessive use, will face the problem of obesity or diabetes.
Latino Americans
Latino culture has its own unique culinary features, which were primarily influenced by historical events. European countries have colonized the Latin American population for a long time. The introduction and mixing of cultures contributed to the development of a diverse range of traditional dishes among these people. Thus, the European colonizers contributed to the expansion of the national cuisine through the introduction of grains, meats, and sugary foods (Frank, 2021). However, the main negative consequence of this circumstance was an increase in the number of high-calorie and low-nutrient foods, which could provoke severe diseases and health problems in the Latin American population.
The culture of nutrition of Latino people had a cultural and social aspect. Since the Latino population consists of a large number of individuals from diverse backgrounds, their traditions and customs were often blended when they got married. As a result, a significant distinguishing feature of this culture is that each family has its own distinct eating habits and cuisine. It is also worth noting that, in addition to food with high fat content, the Latino population also honors and often uses healthier alternatives.
Research indicated that “the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas domesticated three highly productive and nutritious staples: corn, potatoes, and manioc, which are now eaten widely around the world” (Pilcher, 2020, para. 7). These products are an essential component of almost any dish, which brings significant nutritional value. Thus, corn consists of insoluble fiber, “which makes it a low-glycemic index food,” and manioc is a good source of vitamin C (Terpstra, 2021, para. 5). Thus, it can be said that Latin American cuisine has both benefits and undesirable consequences for the body.
Role of the Health Care Provider
When researching high-risk nutritional behavior, it is essential to consider the perspectives of healthcare providers and other relevant factors that can aid individuals with this issue. One of the most important of them is providing education and spreading awareness about nutrition and proper nutrition. This is due to the fact that “poor dietary quality and practices among adults may have a strong impact on younger generations within the family unit, given long-held beliefs, traditions, and socio-cultural influences” (Overcash & Reicks, 2021, p. 1303).
Therefore, education should be conducted by medical professionals to enhance the literacy of African American and Latino individuals. This may include conducting interviews during visits and the participation of healthcare providers in the development of programs for schoolchildren, students, and workers in various fields. In this approach, it is necessary to include information not only about the benefits of proper and nutritious nutrition but also about the possible risks and complications that may arise if it is not followed.
As can be concluded from the previously analyzed information, cultural and social background are vital in the formation of high-risk nutritional behavior. To minimize potential health issues, families and close associates of individuals should be involved in the process of assistance and care. This is especially true in cases where children suffer from this kind of behavior and unhealthy eating habits.
In this context, parents are faced with the task of changing their own approach to food to provide the child with the correct behavior model. At the same time, it is valuable to remember that “the increase of parental encouragement and decrease of excessive pressure could have a positive impact on their children’s dietary behaviors” (Mahmood et al., 2021, p. 1138). Thus, the involvement of parents and the environment plays a role in transforming high-risk nutritional behaviors.
When examining the role of healthcare providers in caring for individuals with high-risk behaviors, it is essential to note that it will be the same for African American and Latino cultures. This aspect is because specialists face the task of acquiring knowledge about each of them to provide the most productive and effective ways of treatment and care (Ray, 2018).
Therefore, when assisting representatives of African American culture, it is vital to consider the prevalence of soil-based foods in their diet and focus on minimizing fatty foods and carbohydrates. When working with Latino culture, it is possible to enhance the nutritional value of food by reducing the consumption of low-quality food and also paying attention to the variety of fruits and vegetables available. This kind of initiative will significantly reduce the risk of various diseases and deterioration of well-being.
Among the roles of healthcare providers, a special contribution to assessment and further research on this topic can also be highlighted. Medical specialists, before making a decision on the appointment of any treatment, should first assess the patient’s condition and background (Nichol et al., 2022).
This information enables them to identify as many factors influencing the patient’s condition as possible and to develop awareness about actions that can help limit high-risk nutritional behaviors. In the future, with the involvement of these specialists in scientific research, you can gain valuable and effective knowledge that will help advance this area of knowledge and improve the assistance and educational programs of society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nutrition plays a crucial role in the health and overall well-being of individuals, making it essential to adopt healthy eating habits. However, one of the key determinants that significantly influences how people eat is culture. This integral component of a person’s life is reflected in the kind of food they eat and its nutritional value. Using the example of African American and Latino culture, this work showed how this aspect could result in high-risk nutritional behavior and deterioration of health.
References
Canun, N. (2022). The powerful role of family in Hispanic culture [Unlike U.S. culture]. Homeschool Spanish Academy. Web.
Daniller, A. (2021). Majorities of Americans see at least some discrimination against Black, Hispanic and Asian people in the U.S. Pew Research Center. Web.
Ford, A. (2022). Food from the soul: A history of African American culture and nutrition. The DO. Web.
Frank, L. E. (2021). How Native American diets shifted after European colonization. History. Web.
Freeman, A. (2020). Unconstitutional food inequality. Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, 55, 840.
Mahmood, L., Flores-Barrantes, P., Moreno, L. A., Manios, Y., & Gonzalez-Gil, E. M. (2021). The influence of parental dietary behaviors and practices on children’s eating habits. Nutrients, 13(4), 1138. Web.
Nichol, J. R., Sundjaja, J. H., & Nelson, G. (2022). Medical history. National library of medicine. Web.
Nkambule, S. J., Moodley, I., Kuupiel, D., & Mashamba-Thompson, T. P. (2021). Association between food insecurity and key metabolic risk factors for diet-sensitive non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-19.
Overcash, F., & Reicks, M. (2021). Diet quality and eating practices among Hispanic/Latino men and women: NHANES 2011–2016. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 1302. Web.
Pilcher, J. M. (2020). American Latino theme study: Food. National Park Service. Web.
Poor nutrition. (n.d.). Centers for disease control and prevention. Web.
Ray, M. (2018). Transcultural Caring Dynamics in Nursing and Healthcare. Medical.
Reddy, S., & Anitha, M. (2015). Culture and its influence on nutrition and oral health. Biomedical & Pharmacology Journal, 8, 613-620. Web.
Smith, C. (2021). How the word is passed: A reckoning with the history of slavery across America. Hachette UK.
Terpstra, C. (2021). Corn: A versatile, nutritious choice. Mayo Clinic Health System. Web.
Testa, A., & Jackson, D. B. (2019). Food insecurity, food deserts, and waist-to-height ratio: variation by sex and race/ethnicity. Journal of Community Health, 44, 444-450. Web.