Dietary consumption practices and cancer risk in African Americans in the rural South.

This study describes the dietary consumption practices of a sample of African Americans in the rural South. A qualitative research design involving a cross-sectional food diary was utilized. Complete datasets were collected from 114 participants, 66% female, between the ages of 19 and 79 years. The consumption of a variety of fruits, non-starchy vegetables and unprocessed cereals in daily meals was low in this sample. Frequent consumption of fried foods; fast foods; sugary, carbonated beverages; processed, high-fat and high-sodium foods; and low fruit and non-starchy vegetable intake were evident. The findings are crucial to the development for culturally-specific nutrition education intervention programs for African Americans in the rural South targeted at the modification of not only diet, but food preparation methods to reduce cancer risk.