Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Food Consumption Patterns of Balearic Islands’ Adolescents Depending on Their Origin

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Over the last decade, the immigrant population of the Balearic Islands archipelago (Spain), in the Mediterranean, has risen to 22 % of its total population. The aim of this study was to assess food consumption patterns among Balearic Islands’ adolescents depending on their origin. A population-based cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands (2007–2008; n = 1,231; 12–17 years old). Dietary assessment was based on a 145-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Food consumption differences between the adolescents’ point of origin and time of arrival were been studied, as well as average daily meals and snacks. The adolescents’ origin and number of years living in the Balearic Islands were also assessed. Native adolescents and immigrants from other Mediterranean countries showed healthier food consumption patterns than their peers from non-Mediterranean countries. Immigrant adolescents adapted their eating patterns to native dietary patterns increasingly, the longer they lived in the Balearic Islands.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Instituto Nacional de Estadística. http://www.ine.es/. Accessed 9 May 2014.

  2. Institut d’Estadística de les Illes Balears. http://www.ibestat.es/. Accessed 9 May 2014.

  3. Tur JA, et al. Changes on nutrient and food intakes in Mallorca throughout the 20th century (in Spanish). Rev Esp Nutr Comunitaria. 2004;10:6–16.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Keys A, et al. The diet and 15-year death rate in the seven countries study. Am J Epidemiol. 1986;124:903–15.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Trichopoulou A, et al. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and survival in a Greek population. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:2599–608.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Willet WC, et al. Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995;61:1402–6.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Tur JA, Romaguera D, Pons A. Food consumption patterns in a Mediterranean region: does the Mediterranean diet still exist? Ann Nutr Metab. 2004;48:193–201.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Martínez E, et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern among the Balearic Islands adolescents. Br J Nutr. 2010;103:1657–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Sofi F, et al. Accruing evidence on benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:1189–96.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Estruch R, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with mediterranean diet. N Engl J Med. 2013;368:1279–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bibiloni MM, et al. Western and Mediterranean dietary patterns among Balearic Islands’ adolescents: socioeconomic and lifestyle determinants. Public Health Nutr. 2012;15:683–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Iglesia I, et al. Physiological and public health basis for assessing micronutrient requirements in children and adolescents. The EURRECA network. Mat Child Nutr. 2010;6:84–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Moreno LA, et al. Indices of body fat distribution in Spanish children aged 4.0 to 14.9 years. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1997;25:175–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. De Onis M, et al. Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children an adolescents. Bull WHO. 2007;85:660–7.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Martin-Moreno JM, et al. Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire in Spain. Int J Epidemiol. 1993;22:512–951.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Salas R, et al. Balearic adults have low intakes of fruits and vegetables compared with the dietary guidelines for adults in Spain. Nutr Res. 2013;33:204–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gómez C, Kohen VL, Nogueira TL. Guía visual de alimentos y raciones. Madrid: EDIMSA; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Lazarou C, Panagiotakos DB, Matalas AL. Level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet among children from Cyprus: the CYKIDS study. Public Health Nutr. 2009;12:991–1000.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lazarou C, et al. Dietary and other lifestyle characteristics of Cypriot school children: results from the nationwide CYKIDS study. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:147.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Alvarez C, Alonso J, Domingo A, Regidor E. La medición de la clase social en ciencias de la salud. Barcelona: SG-Sociedad Española de Epidemiología; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  21. International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Guidelines for Data Processing and Analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). 2010. http://www.ipaq.ki.es.

  22. Hagströmer M, Bergman P, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Ortega FB, Ruiz JR, Manios Y, et al. Concurrent validity of a modified version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-A) in European adolescents: the HELENA Study. Int J Obes. 2008;32:542–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Strong WB, Malina RM, Blimkie CJR. Evidence based physical activity for school-age youth. J Pediatr. 2005;146:732–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Ferreira CA, Molena CA, Marques RG, Arasaki AT, Fossati F, Cícero M. Prevalence of physical inactivity and associated factors among adolescents. Revista Da Associacao Medica Brasileira. 2009;55:523–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Singh GK, Siahpush M. Ethnic-immigrant differentials in health behaviours, morbidity, and cause-specific mortality in the United States: an analysis of two national data bases. Hum Biol. 2002;74:83–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Sussner KM, et al. The influence of immigrant status and acculturation on the development of overweight in Latino families: a qualitative study. J Immigr Minor Health. 2008;10:497–505.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Novotny R, et al. US acculturation, food intake, and obesity among Asian-Pacific hotel workers. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:1712–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Oza-Frank R, Cunningham SA. The weight of US residence among immigrants: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2010;11:271–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Novotny R, et al. US acculturation is associated with health behaviors and obesity, but not their change, with a hotel-based intervention among Asian-Pacific Islanders. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112:649–56.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Singh GK, Kogan MD, Yu SM. Disparities in obesity and overweight prevalence among US immigrant children and adolescents by generational status. J Community Health. 2009;34:271–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Cornelisse-Vermaat JR, van den Brink HM. Ethnic differences in lifestyle and overweight in the Netherlands. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007;15:483–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Wandel M, et al. Changes in food habits after migration among South Asians settled in Oslo: the effect of demographic, socio-economic and integration factors. Appetite. 2008;50:376–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kleiser C, et al. Food intake of young people with a migration background living in Germany. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13:324–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Gao Y, et al. The impact of parental migration on health status and health behaviours among left behind adolescent school children in China. BMC Public Health. 2010;10:56.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Papadaki A, Scott JA. The impact on eating habits of temporary translocation from a Mediterranean to a Northern European environment. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2002;56:455–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Estudio sobre los hábitos alimentarios de la inmigración en España. Madrid, 2007. http://www.marm.es/es/alimentacion/temas/consumo-y-comercializacion-y-distribucion-alimentaria/estudios-de-comercializacion/. Accessed 9 May 2014.

  37. Costarelli V, Koretsi E, Georgitsogianni E. Health-related quality of life of Greek adolescents: the role of the Mediterranean diet. Qual Life Res. 2013;22:951–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Fernández PM. Dietary habits and nutritional status of school aged children in Spain. Nutr Hosp. 2006;21:374–8.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Bibiloni MM, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for obesity in Balearic Islands adolescents. Br J Nutr. 2010;103:99–106.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. De Rufino P, et al. Desayuno y almuerzo de los adolescentes escolarizados de Santander (Breakfast and snack of schooled adolescents in Santander). Nutr Hosp. 2005;20:217–22.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Ramos-Chamorro L. Hábitos, comportamientos y actitudes de los adolescentes inmigrantes sobre nutrición. Recomendaciones educativas (Nutritional habits, behaviours, and attitudes of immigrant adolescents. Educational recommendations). PhD Thesis, Granada, 2007.

  42. Romaguera D, Bamia C, Pons A, Tur JA, Trichopoulou A. Food patterns and Mediterranean diet in western and eastern Mediterranean islands. Public Health Nutr. 2009;12(8):1174–781.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Willett WC, Hu FB. Not the time to abandon the food frequency questionnaire point. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006;15:1757–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Willett WC, Hu FB. The food frequency questionnaire. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007;16:182–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumption Affairs (Programme of Promotion of Biomedical Research and Health Sciences, Projects 05/1276, 08/1259, and 11/01791, Red Predimed-RETIC RD06/0045/1004, and CIBERobn CB12/03/30038), Grant of support to research groups no. 35/2011 (Balearic Islands Gov. and EU FEDER funds), and the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (FPU Programme, PhD fellowship to MMB). The Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress of the University of the Balearic Islands belongs to Institut d’Investigació Sanitària de Palma (IdISPa), Centre Català de la Nutrició (IEC) and Exernet Network.

Conflict of interest

The authors state that there are no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of the Balearic Islands, IdISPa and CIBERobn CB12/03/30038, Guillem Colom Bldg, Campus, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

    Rosa Llull, Mar Bibiloni, Antoni Pons & Josep A. Tur

Authors
  1. Rosa Llull
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mar Bibiloni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Antoni Pons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Josep A. Tur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Josep A. Tur.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Llull, R., Bibiloni, M., Pons, A. et al. Food Consumption Patterns of Balearic Islands’ Adolescents Depending on Their Origin. J Immigrant Minority Health 17, 358–366 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0071-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0071-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation