Full Citation

Title: Maternal employment, acculturation, and time spent in food-related behaviors among Hispanic mothers in the United States. Evidence from the American Time Use Survey

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2015

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Abstract: Employment is a major factor underlying im/migration patterns. Unfortunately, lower diet quality and higher rates of obesity appear to be unintended consequences of moving to the US. Changes in food preparation practices may be a factor underlying dietary acculturation. Hispanic women have identified work-related time constraints as barriers to meal preparation and frequent family meals. However, the relationships between employment, acculturation, and food-related time use in Hispanic families have received relatively little attention. We used cross-sectional data collected from Hispanic mothers (ages 1865) with at least one child <13 years old participating in the 20032011 American Time Use Survey (n=3622) to estimate the relationship between employment, acculturation (defined in terms of nativity US-born vs. im/migrant), and time spent in food preparation and family dinner. Regression models were estimated separately for the employed and the non-working and were adjusted for Hispanic origin group, sociodemographic and household characteristics. Working an eight-hour day was associated with spending 38 fewer minutes in food preparation (38.0SE 4.8, p<001). Although being US-born was associated with spending fewer minutes in food preparation, this relationship varied by origin group among working mothers: overall, being US-born was associated with spending 27 (27.1SE 8.5) fewer minutes in food preparation among MexicanAmericans, whereas time spent in food-preparations did not differ by place of birth among Puerto Ricans. Acculturation did not appear to modify the relationship between hours worked and time spent in food preparation or family dinner. Mothers who worked late hours spent less time eating the evening meal with their families (9.8SE 1.3). Although an eight-hour workday was associated with a significant reduction in food preparation time, an unexpected result is that, for working mothers, additional time spent in paid work is not associated with the duration of family dinner later that day.

Url: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25451579

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Authors: Sliwa, Sarah A.; Must, Aviva; Perea, Flavia; Economos, Christina

Periodical (Full): Appetite

Issue:

Volume: 87

Pages: 10-19

Data Collections: IPUMS Time Use - ATUS

Topics: Family and Marriage, Health, Other

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