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Examine the high-risk nutritional behaviors associated with different cultures. Identify the historical perspectives, belief systems, and other factors associated with these high-risk nutritional behaviors for each culture. Write a 1,500-3,000-word paper on your findings in which you accomplish the following:

Summarize the high risk-nutritional behaviors practiced among two or three different cultures.
Discuss the historical perspectives and belief systems of these cultures that influence the high-risk nutritional behaviors.
Discuss the role of the health care provider in caring for individuals with high-risk behaviors for each culture. These may include, but are not limited to (a) education, (b) family roles, (c) spiritual beliefs, (d) health care practices, and (e) drug and alcohol use.
This paper requires minimum of two outside resources in addition to the textbook. Be sure resources are current within the last five years.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

ANSWER

High-Risk Nutritional practices

Introduction

High-risk nutritional practices entail different cultural aspects of food preparation, food combination, storage, and food taboos that impact the healthy eating patterns of an individual. Different cultures have varying cultural practices to prepare and consume foods. Considerably, the cultural groups have participated in activities and traditions surrounding food patterns and eating which contribute to group variations in maladaptive eating-related outcomes and patterns. This paper will focus on high-risk nutritional practices in American culture, Mexican culture, and Russian culture. There are many high-risk nutritional practices among varying cultures that are linked to high consumption of food (overeating), high consumption of sugar and fat in diets among others.

The High Risk-Nutritional Behaviors Practiced among Cultures

American Culture

The American culture has high risks nutritional practices that are linked to fast food life and high cholesterol diet. Between 2015 and 2018, the Center of disease found out that more than twelve percent of adults above the age of twenty had a high cholesterol level of more than 240 mg/dl (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Having high cholesterol levels increases the risk of heart disease that leads to stroke and other chronic diseases that result in death. Americans have poor eating habits with an increase in fast food culture and lack of physical activities which have led to high cholesterol levels.

Virani et al., (2021) also indicated that more than 93 million American adults above the age of 20 have high levels of cholesterol. In addition, there is a high percentage of African-Americans who engage in unhealthy food patterns such as skipping breakfast or consuming less than five servings of fruits and vegetables regularly. The majority of African-American adults are at risk for nutrition-related health problems because they tend to have higher rates of obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The American diet is rich in fats and sugars and this contributes to high rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease. There has been a steady decline in calorie consumption since 1970 (from 2,318 calories/day) although there has been an increase in calorie consumption since the late 1990s (Virani et al., 2021).

Americans consume more than one-third of their food outside the home, and this contributes to poor eating habits. Americans tend to choose large portions at fast-food restaurants and this encourages overeating. Americans have poor food patterns and this contributes to poor eating habits that lead to unhealthy weight gain and chronic disease (Carson, 2020). Americans eat more foods that taste good and tend to avoid healthier nutritious foods.

Mexican Culture

Mexican culture, like many other sub-cultures, is tied to food. However, unhealthy eating habits are common in Mexican culture. In Mexico, the nutritional patterns are undergoing a transition that is posing high nutritional risks. The Mexican diet has shifted towards high-level intakes of food high in refined carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sodium (Betancourt-Nuñez et al., 2018).  More than half of the population in Mexico has low levels of fiber intake and has exceeded the recommended sugar intake and saturated fat. Most people within this sub-culture consume at least one meal a day which contains white bread (pan Blanco), rice (Arroz), and beans (frijoles) (Zoucha and Zamarripa-Zoucha, 2021). Even though these foods are widely consumed, they should be eaten in moderation because of the high carbohydrate intake that could lead to obesity or diabetes. High carbohydrate intake among Mexicans is common due to the large amounts of rice, beans, and bread that they consume.

Some Mexicans do not eat a balanced meal each day which can lead to malnutrition or diseases. It is recommended that all people should eat at least three times per day with foods from five different food groups. This includes fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and grains. However, the Mexican sub-culture consumes limited amounts of dairy, unbalanced meals, and little amounts of meat on an everyday basis. A small amount of daily physical activity is also lacking among this group which could cause more health problems in the future (Betancourt-Nuñez et al., 2018). People who are part of this culture usually have limited possibilities for healthy eating habits because of financial restrictions on what they can buy since there are unhealthful foods that are cheaper. For instance, white bread is usually less expensive than whole-wheat bread.

Russian Culture

High-risk nutritional practices among Russian culture have led to the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among Russians. This is due to high consumption of fat, high carbohydrates, a hydrogenated diet, and high sodium. Smoking is also prevalent among the Russians as they eat more animal fats and low amounts of vegetables, fruits, and berries. According to Kontsevaya et al., (2017), one of the reasons for the high prevalence of obesity and overweight in Russia has been a result of high fay diet, animal products with high protein, and lack of physical exercise. In recent decades, Russian food choices have become more modernized due to the influence of the western world. Russians still tend to eat very fatty foods and simple carbohydrates. Russians typically prefer meat dishes that can be quickly prepared such as fried meats, sausages, and cutlets. Their food choices are influenced by the availability of different kinds of foods throughout the year.

Historical Perspectives and Belief Systems

According to Tucker (2010), certain beliefs or practices promote unhealthy diets or prevent them from making better decisions about their overall health care. The Russian culture is vastly influenced by the types of food that they eat. The Russians typically consume foods with many calories and not much nutritional value. Often people will associate poor dietary choices with a lack of financial resources to buy healthy food; however, this is not always the case. One belief system considered to be characteristic of poor nutrition within Russian culture is “food rules” which encourage people to combine certain types of foods for optimal digestion (Myachikova and Shamtsyan, 2021). For instance, it is customary to combine foods that are either high in protein or high in starch with each other. These rules also consist of beverages and different types of soup. It is considered beneficial for overall health if these practices are followed. It is believed that the practice promotes proper digestion, which aids in overall wellness.

The belief system that influences American dietary choices is called “Dietary Habits.” One popular practice is called “Clean your plate” which encourages children to eat all of their food regardless of whether they are full or not (Wansink, 2010). Although the parents are doing the best they can by providing good meals for their children, forcing kids to finish everything on their plate does not promote healthy eating habits. This practice can cause children to develop a fear of wasting food and restrict them from learning how much they should be consuming. The majority of Americans consume high amounts of sugar in their diets, which is considered a contributing factor in the obesity epidemic. If one were to look at the ingredients list on many common products, one would find that there are added sugars present in nearly all processed foods for sale.

Another belief system that is considered characteristic of poor nutrition within American culture is the “American Dream” The American Dream consists of personal freedom, independence, and upward social mobility. The point of this dream is to symbolize limitless options for success in life. However, it has been suggested that the American Dream may promote unhealthy eating behaviors. This occurs when individuals are motivated by the desire for success through achieving their definition of being thin or losing weight. Lack and restriction of certain types of food, as well as overconsumption of other foods typically leads to obesity. This can lead to numerous diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

One belief system that influences poor nutrition among Mexicans is the goddess of corn.  This impacts the Mexican community because of the importance of maize in Mexican culture. In addition to the goddess of corn, other religious beliefs have a direct impact on dietary habits (Zoucha and Zamarripa-Zoucha, 2021). Another belief that has contributed to malnutrition among Mexicans is the culture surrounding the consumption of beef. Beef consumption by Mexicans has always been low due to religious beliefs and traditions. While there are not any dietary restrictions against beef consumption in many regions, in some regions there are limitations on its consumption so it can’t be consumed at all during certain periods. This results in less than optimal levels of iron intake leading to iron deficiency anemia. Considerably, in Mexico, meat consumption has been lower than recommended by health professionals due to traditional vegetarianism.

Role of Healthcare Providers in Reducing High-Risk Behaviors

Healthcare providers play an essential role in the care of individuals who engage in high-risk behaviors. A healthcare provider’s responsibility is to understand an individual’s motivation for making certain choices to determine how best to guide them. Among Mexicans, healthcare providers need to align spiritual beliefs, and understand individuals’ position within their cultural context and internalize that perspective to provide encouragement or discouragement about their behavior. It’s important to ensure that an individual feels safe and open to share their perspective, which will be used by the healthcare provider to determine if there are to be changes made regarding risky behaviors.

In the American culture, healthcare providers need to plan and provide education relating to high-risk behaviors to create awareness to the people about the impact of behavior such as overeating and excessive alcohol and drug abuse on nutrition, treatment, and disease prevention. Russian culture has the highest rates of alcohol consumption. Alcohol and sexual risk behaviors have been seen among a large population in Russia (Lan et al., 2017). Healthcare providers need to focus on tailored programs to reduce high-risk behavior. The programs are aimed at modifying individuals’ behaviors to minimize and control the effects of high-risk behaviors.

Conclusion

High-risk nutritional practices have resulted in nutrient deficiencies in a different culture. This is because these cultures have their nutritional practices such as high fat, high cholesterol meals which are the norm especially in the Russian, Mexican and American Cultures. Healthcare providers have a role in intervening and counseling these individuals to reduce high-risk behaviors. This can be through sharing information with them or through counseling sessions. This can be done in a group setting, family setting, or the individual patient depending on the provider preference and healthcare organization policy. Health promotion activities can also take place which includes education of these individuals about healthy diets for their culture and a change in their customary meal preparation to healthier ones.

References

Betancourt-Nuñez, A., Márquez-Sandoval, F., González-Zapata, L. I., Babio, N., & Vizmanos, B. (2018). Unhealthy dietary patterns among healthcare professionals and students in Mexico. BMC public health, 18(1), 1-14.

Carson, J. A. S., Lichtenstein, A. H., Anderson, C. A., Appel, L. J., Kris-Etherton, P. M., Meyer, K. A., … & Van Horn, L. (2020). Dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular risk: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 141(3), e39-e53.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). High Cholesterol Facts United States. Online at: https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/facts.htm

Kontsevaya, A., Shalnova, S., Deev, A., Breda, J., Jewell, J., Rakovac, I., … & Boytsov, S. (2019). Overweight and obesity in the Russian population: prevalence in adults and association with socioeconomic parameters and cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity Facts, 12(1), 103-114.

Lan, C. W., Scott-Sheldon, L. A., Carey, K. B., Johnson, B. T., & Carey, M. P. (2017). Prevalence of alcohol use, sexual risk behavior, and HIV among Russians in high-risk settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of behavioral medicine, 24(2), 180-190.

Myachikova, N., & Shamtsyan, M. (2021). Culinary traditions, food, and eating habits in Russia. In Nutritional and Health Aspects of Traditional and Ethnic Foods of Eastern Europe (pp. 13-38). Academic Press.

Tucker, K. L. (2010). Dietary patterns, approaches, and a multicultural perspective. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism, 35(2), 211-218.

Villegas, E., Coba‐Rodriguez, S., & Wiley, A. R. (2018). Continued barriers affecting Hispanic families’ dietary patterns. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 46(4), 363-380.

Virani, S. S., Alonso, A., Aparicio, H. J., Benjamin, E. J., Bittencourt, M. S., Callaway, C. W., … & American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. (2021). Heart disease and stroke statistics—2021 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 143(8), e254-e743.

Wansink, B. (2010). From mindless eating to mindlessly eating better. Physiology & behavior, 100(5), 454-463.

Zoucha, R., & Zamarripa-Zoucha, A. (2021). People of Mexican heritage. In Textbook for Transcultural Health Care: A Population Approach (pp. 613-636). Springer, Cham.