Blood pressure in Hispanic women: the role of diet, acculturation, and physical activity.

The role of diet, acculturation, and physical activity on systolic and diastolic blood pressure was examined among 1,420 Mexican American, 388 Cuban American, and 542 Puerto Rican women who responded to the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected in 1982-4. Dietary intake measures included sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, ethanol, and total kilocalories as estimated from 24-hour recall data. Serum sodium/potassium ratio was included as a measure of metabolic function. Acculturation was measured using language preference, speaking, reading and writing. Physical activity included recreational and non-recreational activities. Other correlates included age, education, and body composition. Final models indicated that age and body composition were significantly associated with blood pressure across all three Hispanic subgroups. Among Mexican-American women, acculturation had an impact on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure that was independent of diet, body composition, and physical activity. Furthermore, the dietary intake of specific nutrients such as sodium and potassium did not appear to be as important as the way the individual metabolized those nutrients, as indicated by the serum sodium/potassium ratio. The strong association of body mass index with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among all three ethnic groups reinforces the need to maintain an appropriate body weight.