High-Risk Nutritional Behaviors Across Cultures in Healthcare

Introduction

High-risk behaviors refer to actions that increase the risk of injury or disease that eventually leads to social problems, death, or disability. High-risk nutritional behaviors include actions such as eating too much food, high consumption of processed foods, and high intake of alcohol as part of meals. The majority of high-risk nutritional behaviors are entrenched in the historical perspectives and culture, making them difficult to change.

African Americans and Soul Food

African Americans have a dietary preference for a cuisine referred to as soul food, characterized by fatty meats, fried foods, and rich gravies. For African Americans, soul food is not just a cuisine but a meal that signifies the history of African Americans as an important component of Black culture. Usually, soul food is not healthy as many African Americans have high rates of lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases (Turner-McGrievy et al., 2021).

Historically, soul food among African Americans describes foods that were once enjoyed by Africans in their homelands before they were taken to the United States on slave ships. The original meals consumed by the enslaved Americans such as millet and sorghum were highly nutritious. Modification of the originally nutritious dishes has reduced their nutritional value over time (Lunsford et al., 2021).

Mexicans and Alcohol Consumption

The high-risk nutritional behavior among Mexicans is high consumption of alcohol with meals. It is estimated that people in Mexico consume approximately 4.4 liters of pure alcohol every year (Movendi International, 2023). Much consumption of alcohol among Mexicans is dangerous as it occurs within short periods. 3 out of 10 Mexicans heavily consume alcohol and 7 out of 10 Mexicans have consumed alcohol at some point in life.

Among the Mexican males, the consumption of alcohol is attributed to the concept of machismo, which remains an important part of Mexican culture today (Rojas et al., 2023). According to the principle of machismo, Latino men are required to appear masculine and strong, and cultural values such as drinking solidify their masculinity.

White Americans and Ultra-Processed Foods

White Americans engage in the high-risk nutritional behavior of consumption of ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods comprise substances with limited or no nutritional value such as sweeteners, artificial flavors, emulsifiers, and colorings. Ultra-processed foods comprise more than 50% of all calories consumed in American homes, with the rate increasing from 51% in 2003 to 54% in 2018 (Aljahdali et al., 2024).

Role of the Healthcare Provider

Caring for African American Patients

Healthcare providers should involve teaching the patient how to cook soul food in a healthy manner. Instead of deep frying, African Americans should try boiling, roasting, and baking. In providing patient education, healthcare providers should take advantage of social organizations such as church seminars (Calder et al., 2023).

Caring for Mexican Patients

Healthcare professionals should educate the patient on the physical and psychological effects of alcohol. They should consider grassroots interventions such as juramentos (prayers for divine intervention) and the construct of familismo (family-centered decision-making) (Brincks et al., 2023).

Caring for White American Patients

Healthcare providers assume five roles: patient education, modeling good behavior, organizing community programs, advisory roles with government officials, and conducting research on nutrition (Calder et al., 2023).

References

• Aljahdali, A. A., Rossato, S. L., & Baylin, A. (2024). Ultra-processed foods consumption among a USA representative sample. British Journal of Nutrition, 131(8), 1461-1472.
• Brincks, A., Perrino, T., Estrada, Y., & Prado, G. (2023). Preventing alcohol use among Hispanic adolescents. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(1), 105.
• Calder, P. C., et al. (2023). Vital role for primary healthcare providers. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 6(2), 392.
• Lunsford, L., Arthur, M. L., & Porter, C. M. (2021). African and Native American foodways and resilience. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 10(4), 241.
• Movendi International. (2023). Mexico: New Dietary Guidelines Recommend to Avoid Alcohol.
• Rojas, P., et al. (2023). Predictors of alcohol use among Latinx men in South Florida. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 25(3), 685-691.
• Turner-McGrievy, G., et al. (2021). The Nutritious Eating with Soul (NEW Soul) Study. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 88, 105897.