Gender Differences in Dietary Quality and Dietary Acculturation among Mexican Children of Immigrants

Childhood obesity-a risk factor for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, other non-communicable diseases and adverse psychosocial experiences-is especially high among children of Mexican immigrants, and among these children, boys have an obesity risk nearly twice as high as girls. Yet little research has examined whether there are also gender differences in the proximate determinants of obesity for this population. This study uses structural equation modeling and the 2003/4-2017/18 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to investigate gender differences in a key proximate determinant of obesity-diet-among adolescents with Mexican immigrant parents. We examine (1) whether there are gender differences in dietary quality and dietary acculturation, (2) whether gender differences in the settings in which adolescents eat explain gender differences in these outcomes, and (3) whether these patterns vary by parental acculturation (household language). We find that among adolescents in Spanish-speaking households, boys have significantly lower dietary quality and significantly higher dietary acculturation than girls and that gender differences in some meal settings outside the home contribute to these differences. We do not find statistically significant gender differences in the dietary outcomes or meal settings for adolescents in English-speaking households. Results highlight the importance of considering how gender and social contexts shape the health behaviors of children of Mexican immigrants.