Exploring Dietary Behavior Differences among Children by Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status

• Published in: The Journal of school health Vol. 90; no. 8; pp. 658 - 664
• Main Authors: Woolf, Hope R., Fair, Melissa, King, Sarah B., Dunn, Caroline Glagola, Kaczynski, Andrew T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01.08.2020; Wiley-Blackwell; American School Health Association; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Access; Behavior; Body Weight; Breakfast; child and adolescent health; Child health; Childhood obesity; Children; Company business management; Comparative Analysis; Demographic aspects; Dietetics; Dining Facilities; Drinks; Eating behavior; Eating Habits; Ethnic groups; Ethnicity; Food; Food consumption; Food habits; Gender Differences; Grade 4; Grade 5; Habits; Health aspects; Health Behavior; Healthy food; Insecurity; Management; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; Neighborhoods; Nursing; Nutrition; nutrition and diet; Obesity; Physical Activities; Physical activity; Proteins; Public health; public health, organization, and administration of school health programs; Race; Racial differences; school food services; school health services; Security (Psychology); Snacks; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomic Influences; Socioeconomic status; Sugar; Teenagers; Vegetables; South Carolina; United States; public health, organization, and administration of school health programs; school health services; nutrition and diet; child and adolescent health; school food services
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12915
• ISSN: 0022-4391

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND In Spartanburg County, SC, nearly 33.7% of children are overweight or obese. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in eating behavior of youth by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. METHODS Students (N = 997) in 4th to 5th grades completed the School Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. School databases categorized students as either White or racial/ethnic minority and free/reduced or full paid lunch status. Dietary behaviors included 13 composite measures: unhealthy proteins, healthy proteins, dairy, refined grains, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, fried snacks, sugar‐sweetened beverages, sweets, and consumption of a breakfast, evening, and/or restaurant meal. Logistic regression, controlling for sex, was used to analyze differences in consumption for each nutrition variable. RESULTS Minority youth were less likely to consume healthy proteins (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.55‐0.92) and more likely to eat at a restaurant (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.02‐1.70) compared to white youth. Lower socioeconomic status youth were less likely to eat an evening meal compared to higher socioeconomic status youth (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.39‐0.89). CONCLUSIONS Differences in dietary behaviors may result from food accessibility and insecurity in minority and/or low‐income neighborhoods. Future research should explore policy strategies that can help ensure all youth maintain healthy eating habits and weight status.