BMC Pediatrics
Volume 15, Issue 1, 2015

Dietary changes in migrant adolescents with increasing length of stay in Australia and associated risk of wheeze - a retrospective, cross sectional study (Article) (Open Access)

Wood L.G.* , Lagleva M. , Shah S. , Berthon B.S. , Galbraith S. , Henry R. , Kepreotes H. , Gibson P.G.
  • a University of Newcastle, Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  • b University of Sydney, Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Western Clinical School and School of Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • c University of Sydney, Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Western Clinical School and School of Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • d University of Newcastle, Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  • e University of New South Wales, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • f University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • g Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Randwick Campus, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • h University of Newcastle, Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia, John Hunter Hospital, Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have reported that asthma prevalence increases on migration to Australia. We hypothesised that changes in dietary intake contribute to this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to assess dietary intake in relation to migration status, length of stay in Australia and the association with self-reported wheeze. Methods: Students (n = 144) in a multicultural high school in Western Sydney completed the asthma symptoms ISAAC video questionnaire (AVQ3.0), spirometry and allergy skin prick tests. A dietitian administered a'Food Frequency' and 'Food Habits' questionnaire and a dietary history interview. Results: Students who spoke a language other than English, consumed a traditional or mixed dietary pattern, with lower consumption of saturated fat, compared to students who spoke English only. Saturated fat intake increased and fibre intake decreased with length of time in Australia. Intake of foods high in saturated or trans fatty acids were positively associated with length of stay in Australia. No associations between nutrient intake or whole food intake and self-reported wheeze were observed. Conclusion: As time progressed, dietary intake of immigrant children changed. While this was not associated with the development of wheeze in the students in this cohort, these changes are likely to have negative health consequences. © 2015 Wood et al.

Author Keywords

Migration paediatrics Fibre Saturated fat nutrition

Index Keywords

Australia saturated fatty acid dietary fiber human Self Report language ability controlled study social aspect time factor diet feeding behavior Time Factors nutritional assessment wheezing Cross-Sectional Studies school child migrant cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male asthma female risk factor Risk Factors prevalence Article Retrospective Studies history major clinical study migration Dietary Fats fat intake outcome assessment Respiratory Sounds Transients and Migrants retrospective study adverse effects disease association dietary intake Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84940185464&doi=10.1186%2fs12887-015-0420-x&partnerID=40&md5=58ae283059ba60bd0d8291c64ac17753
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-015-0420-x
ISSN: 14712431
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English