Nutr Res Pract.  2008 Dec;2(4):269-274. 10.4162/nrp.2008.2.4.269.

Acculturation, meal frequency, eating-out, and body weight in Korean Americans

• Lee SK

• KMID: 2139202
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2008.2.4.269

Abstract

Consuming regular meals has been studied in relation to better health, while higher regularity of eating-out has been linked to obesity. This study examined whether acculturation was associated with regularity of meals, eating-out, and overweight in Korean Americans. Pre-tested questionnaires were mailed to a U.S. national sample with Korean American surnames, and 55% of the deliverable sample responded, producing 356 usable questionnaires. Acculturation was measured using a two-culture matrix model and Gordon's theoretical work, and showed there were three distinct groups (acculturated, bicultural, and traditional). Only 36% reported that they regularly ate three meals a day. Breakfast was the least frequent meal of the day with 43% reporting eating breakfast everyday. More than half (58%) reported that they usually eat out or get take-out food at least once a week. After controlling for age, sex, income, education, and working status, higher acculturation was related to greater regularity of eating-out, but not meal regularity. A total of 28% of men and 6% of women were overweight (BMI>25), and there were significant and positive relationships between body weight status and acculturation in men but not women. However, no significant relationships between frequency of meals and eating-out and overweight status were present. This study did not find significant relationships of meal regularity and eating-out with body weight, however, given the positive relationship between acculturation and eating-out among the subjects and the well-established relationship between eating-out and obesity, nutrition education about skipping meals and eating-for Korean Americans may be useful to prevent such relationships from developing.

Keyword

Acculturation; meal-regularity; eating-out; obesity; Korean Americans

MeSH Terms

Acculturation
Asian Americans
Body Weight
Breakfast
Eating
Female
Humans
Male
Meals
Obesity
Overweight
Postal Service
Questionnaires

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