Identifying and characterizing shared and ethnic background site-specific dietary patterns in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

The study applied Bayesian multi-study factor analysis (BMSFA) to dietary recall data of 15,021 Hispanic/Latino adults in the US, to identify shared and ethnic background-site specific dietary patterns (DPs). Four shared DPs were identified—Plant-based foods, Processed foods, Dairy products, and Seafood—alongside 12 unique subpopulation-specific DPs. Higher diet quality was associated with plant-based and seafood DPs, while processed and dairy DPs correlated with lower quality. US-born individuals showed higher adherence to processed food patterns. The study highlights nativity and ethnic diversity as key factors in shaping dietary behaviors.