(P20-004-24) Nutrient Intake Across Ethnically Diverse US Adults: Is There a Protective Birthplace Effect?

Objectives: Investigate the extent to which nutrient intake profiles differ between US-born and immigrant adults across four ethnically diverse population groups.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from adult respondents in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) waves 2007-2008 through 2017-2018 linked with the Food Pattern Equivalents Database to code diet intake into USDA food groups with standardized units (i.e., gram and teaspoon equivalents). Linear regression models estimated the associations between birthplace and intake of the following nutrients: added sugars, total sugar, sodium, saturated fat, whole grains, and fiber. The models were constructed separately for Hispanics, non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Asian populations.

Results: The analytic samples were comprised of 6,185 Hispanic; 12,067 NH White; 5,932 NH Black, and 2,051 Asian adults 20 years and older. Among each of the four major ethnic groups, immigrants showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower intake of added sugars, total sugar, total fats, and saturated fats than their US-born co-ethnics after controlling for survey year, sex, age, income levels, educational attainment, caloric intake (in the sugar/fat models) and ethnic subgroup (in the Hispanic population). Moreover, across all four ethnic groups, immigrants reported significantly higher fiber intake than US-born peers (p < 0.05). Asian, NH Black, and NH White immigrants reported higher whole grain consumption than their US-born co-ethnics, whereas Hispanic immigrants reported similar intake relative to their US-born peers. NH Black, Hispanic, and NH White immigrants reported significantly lower sodium intake compared to their US-born co-ethnics (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Among four major ethnic adult populations, immigrants generally exhibit better nutrient intake profiles than their US-born co-ethnics, suggesting protective country of birth effects. Research to understand the reasons for these differences is warranted. Future nutrition interventions may require different approaches to help maintain healthy nutrient profiles among immigrants while reducing the intake of unhealthy nutrients and promoting fiber and whole grain consumption among US-born populations

Funding Sources: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities