Factors Correlated to Protective and Risk Dietary Patterns in Immigrant Latino Mothers in Non-metropolitan Rural Communities

Immigrant Latinos face conditions which over time negatively impact their nutritional behaviors and health outcomes. Our objective was to evaluate associations between environmental and lifestyle factors and both protective dietary patterns (e.g., intake of fruits and vegetables) and harmful dietary patterns (e.g., consumption of salty snacks and fast food). Surveys were individually and orally administered to 105 foreign-born Latina mothers living in rural locations in a Midwestern state. Principal component analysis created composite variables for each construct and Spearman correlations were conducted to determine associations. Protective dietary patterns were positively associated with access to food and information (ρ_s = 0.21) and language acculturation (ρ_s = 0.24), and negatively associated with family challenges (ρ_s = −0.31). Food insecurity was negatively associated with harmful dietary patterns (ρ_s = −0.24). Findings suggest that rural Latino dietary interventions should be complemented with comprehensive strategies addressing environmental and lifestyle factors across ecological domains.