Perception of change in living conditions and diet among rural Latino immigrants

• Main Authors: Maroly Hermosa, María Tineo, Yesid Aranda, Germán Posada
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Editorial of Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia 2015-04-01
• Series: Agronomía Colombiana
• Subjects: calidad de vida; sobrepeso; áreas rurales; consumo; comida rápida; ingreso
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-99652015000100015&lng=en&tlng=en

Thirteen percent of the total population of the United States (US) is composed of immigrants. Mexicans accounted for about three-quarters of the increase in the Hispanic population from 2000 to 2010. The social and economic problems facing this population in their countries of origin are fueling migration to the US, in search of new opportunities. The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the changes in living conditions (housing, health, education) and the dietary intake (ex - ante and ex - post) of the Latino immigrant population that emigrated from rural areas in Mexico. The participants were attendees of the Purdue Extension Learning Network of Clinton County, who filled out a questionnaire with open and closed questions. The results evidenced the perception of improved quality of life variables related to housing, access to utilities and education, and a change with a tendency for increases in their consumption of fast food, processed food and soda, generating negative effects in terms of an increase in being overweight and obesity, and particularly a lowered consumption of products from their traditional diet.