Dietary Acculturation, Physical Activity and Body Image in Limited-Resource Latino Women in Northern Virginia

Eighty-five subjects were recruited from the Arlington County EFNEP program, Arlington County Women, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, and Fairfax County Parklawn Family Center. Demographic information, acculturation, fruit and vegetable intake, saturated fat avoidance, physical activity, and body image were assessed with written survey instruments. Most of the subjects were from Bolivia and El Salvador and were not highly acculturated. About 50%of the population met the 5-a-Day goal for fruit and vegetable intake, and almost 95% exhibited at least one form of saturated fat avoidance. Sixty percent of the respondents were on a weight loss diet. A significant relationship was shown between the number of servings of fruit consumed and acculturation, however, no significant relationship existed between acculturation and any other dietary, physical activity or body image factor.