Diabetic Latinos Should Not Embrace a U.S. Diet

According to a study from the Medical University of South Carolina, diabetic Latinos living in the U.S. may be healthier if they stick to their traditional foods rather than adopting an American diet. Published in the Annals of Family Medicine, the study found that out of 467 diabetic Latinos, those who ate mostly an American diet were getting less fiber and more saturated fat than their less-acculturated counterparts. However, researchers did find a positive impact of acculturation on physical activity: Acculturated Latinos exercised more than less-acculturated Latinos. With diabetes becoming a growing problem in the Latino community, the study’s authors stressed that self-management and a healthy lifestyle are essential in managing the disease. They hope that more culturally sensitive health programs are developed with a complex understanding of acculturation and its effects on Latinos with diabetes.

Read the full article at lifescript.com