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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among the variables of the dietary consumption and the anthropometric measurements of Filipino Americans (FAs). The study sample consisted of 128 participants residing in the US who completed two questionnaires and biometric measurements. Strong positive correlations between the consumption of fat and sugar and body mass index (BMI) among the participants were found. In contrast, the correlations between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and BMI were strongly negative. This study advances the limited body of knowledge on the dietary practices of FAs in the US.
Key Words: Dietary Acculturation, Dietary Consumption, Filipino, Anthropometric Measurements
INTRODUCTION
The native Tagalog (Philippine's national dialect) word for table is hapag but Filipinos only commonly use it in the compound word hapag-kainan, which means dinner table. Hapag-kainan is the center of Filipino family dining experience where Filipino dishes are meant to be shared by family members. The United States Census Bureau determined that in 2010, Filipino-Americans (FAs) numbered 2,555,923 and is the second largest Asian ethnic group next to Chinese Americans in the United States (US). This is a 32% increase from 1990 and 137% increase from 1980 (Chung et al., 2007; US Census, 2011). This is due to waves of immigration from the Philippines that can be characterized as individual search for economic opportunities and family réunifications (de Castro, Gee, & Takeuchi, 2008).
Numerous changes can occur with immigration, including access to health care, physical activity, and diet. Analysis of dietary patterns has recently drawn a great deal of attention as a method of investigating the role of foods in studies among Asian American immigrants (Pierce et al., 2007; Kudo, Falciglia, & Couch, 2000). In particular, adoption of diets high in fat and sugar and low in fruits and vegetables is of concern because this dietary pattern is a risk factor for several major chronic conditions (Kim et al., 2007; Satia-Abouta et al., 2002). One of the Healthy People 2020 goals is to increase the proportion of adults who are at a healthy weight and reduce the proportion of adults who are obese (U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, 2010). Obesity continues to increase at alarming rates and is associated with increased risks for chronic...