Black Health and Wellness: Past and Present Implications of the “Slave Diet” for African Americans

Pass, Michelle; Bullock, Sharon

doi:10.1353/bhb.2021.0002

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The detailed coe cients and p values for each model can be found in Table 4. Deterioration of healthy eating patterns among African Americans in the US can be traced back to circumstantial dietary adaptations to colonization after the transatlantic slave trade, which subjected them to limited rations of food access in addition to the adoption of some culinary preferences of Europeans [23,40]. Consequently, legislation of the Dawes Act of 1887 displaced Indigenous populations, with whom many African Americans intermingled and shared mixed ancestry, from land that they were accustomed to using for hunting/gathering, growing edible crops, and shing [28,32].…”

Section: Racial Heterogeneity and Nutritional Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of US Citizenship Status vs. Diet Quality among Adults of African Descent

Jeffery,

Duan,

Ardakani

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: With the substantial growth rate of the Black immigrant population in the US, the impact of colonization on the diets of African Americans and disproportionately high rates of chronic diseases in the Black Community, studies should place more emphasis on ethnicity when investigating nutrition-related risk factors. This study examined the relationship between variations in citizenship level and diet quality among adult subjects of African descent. Methods: We analyzed data from 1,198 African American adults in the NHANES 2015-2016. A 'citizenship level' scale was developed using principal component analysis, incorporating years lived in the US, country of birth, and citizenship status. Diet quality was assessed using HEI scores. Associations between citizenship level, gender, age, income, and categorized diet quality (poor, moderate, or good) were examined using a Monte Carlo simulation of Fisher's exact tests. Linear regression models were employed to examine the relationship between citizenship level and continuous HEI scores, adjusting for gender, age, and income, with stratified analyses conducted for each demographic subgroup. Results: Fisher's exact tests revealed that the level of US citizenship, gender, age, and income level were all significantly associated with the categorical level of diet quality (HEI). Regression analysis demonstrated that a lower level of US citizenship was significantly associated with higher HEI scores, indicative of better diet quality (p < 0.001), even after adjusting for gender, age, and income. This relationship persisted across most demographic subgroups but appeared stronger among males and those in the lowest income bracket. The relationship was also significant for younger adults but not for adults aged 65 and older. Conclusions: Studies suggest a need for more inclusive culturally tailored nutrition interventions. To minimize the impact of colonization and US assimilation on lifestyle practices and chronic diseases, future studies should consider interventions that utilize traditional dietary patterns of the African diaspora as a tool to improve the quality of life among people of African descent.

show abstract

Section: Racial Heterogeneity and Nutritional Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%