The association of time in the US and diet during pregnancy in low‐income women of Mexican descent

Abstract

This study compared nutritional intake during pregnancy among women of Mexican descent according to country of birth (US vs. Mexico) and, for Mexico‐born women, according to number of years lived in the US (≤5 years, 6–10 years, ≥ 11 years). A 72‐item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary intake in 474 pregnant Mexico‐born immigrants and US‐born Mexican‐Americans. Mexico‐born women had significantly higher intakes of calories (P = 0.02), fibre (P < 0.001), vitamin A (P < 0.001), vitamin C (P = 0.03), vitamin E (P < 0.01), folate (P < 0.01), calcium (P < 0.001) and zinc (P = 0.02) from their diets than US‐born women. Intakes of all nutrients except vitamin C and zinc remained significantly higher in Mexico‐born women when nutrients from both diet and vitamin supplements were considered. Among Mexico‐born women, increasing years of residence in the US was associated with lower intake of calories (P_trend < 0.01), fibre (P_trend < 0.01), folate (P_trend = 0.03), iron (P_trend = 0.05) and zinc (P_trend = 0.03), although only the trend for iron remained significant when vitamin supplement sources were included. A large percentage of women had inadequate intake of vitamin E (58%), folate (61%), iron (77%) and zinc (47%) from their diets during pregnancy and these rates were higher in US‐born women than Mexico‐born women.