Consumption of Mexican Food by U.S. Children and Adolescents: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 – March 2020

Authors: Sebastian, Rhonda; Crawford, Sara; GOLDMAN, JOSEPH - Retired ARS Employee; Moshfegh, Alanna

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2024
Publication Date: 12/9/2024
Citation: Sebastian, R.S., Crawford, S.B., Goldman, J.D., Moshfegh, A.J. 2024. Consumption of Mexican Food by U.S. Children and Adolescents: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 – March 2020. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: https://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg/wweia/dbrief.

Interpretive Summary: Mexican food is popular in the U.S. However, there is little information about intake of these foods, including among children. Using dietary data from What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - March 2020, we examined Mexican food. We identified who consumes it, what types of Mexican food are consumed, and its contributions to energy and nutrients. We found that 15% of children 2-19 years consume Mexican food on any given day. The percentage consuming Mexican food does not vary by gender, age, or income. One in four Hispanic children consume Mexican food on the intake day compared to less than one in eight children in other race/ethnic groups. Tacos account for 36% of Mexican food reports, followed by burritos and quesadillas at 19% each. Total daily intakes of most nutrients were similar between consumers and non-consumers of Mexican food on a 1,000-kilocalorie basis. Among consumers, Mexican food contributes on average 30% of daily energy intake, and 35-40% of protein, total fat, saturated fat, dietary fiber, cholesterol, and sodium. This information about Mexican food can inform policymakers, food manufacturers, dietitians, nutritionists, and consumers about its important role in the diets of U.S. children, particularly children of Hispanic origin.

Technical Abstract: Mexican food accounts for an ever-increasing segment of the food market, and this trend is amplified in North America. However, there is a dearth of information regarding individual intake of these foods. The purpose of this report is to characterize Mexican food consumption among U.S. children. One day of dietary intake data from 4,091 children 2-19 years collected in the nationally representative survey What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - March 2020 was analyzed. Two-tailed t-tests compared percentages of children consuming Mexican food by demographic characteristics and nutrient intakes between Mexican food consumers and non-consumers on a 1,000-kilocalorie basis. Regression analyses identified linear trends in prevalence of consumption by age. On any given day, 15% of American children consume a Mexican food. Prevalence does not differ by gender, age, or family income (p>0.001). Hispanic children are significantly more likely to consume a Mexican food on the intake day relative to children in other race/ethnic groups (25% vs. 5-12%, respectively; p<0.001). Fifty-four percent of Mexican food/Mexican food ingredients are obtained from grocery stores, and 37% from fast food and other types of restaurants (20% from fast food, 17% from other). Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas account for 74% of Mexican food reports collectively (36%, 19%, 19%, respectively). Of the nutrients analyzed, total daily intake does not differ between consumers and non-consumers of Mexican food on an energy density basis with two exceptions: carbohydrate intake is lower and saturated fat intake is higher among consumers. Mexican food contributes 30% of consumers’ total intake of energy, 39% of protein, 37% of total fat, 40% of saturated fat, 35% of dietary fiber, 36% of cholesterol, 27% of B12, 33% of calcium, and 40% of sodium. Modifying the contents of Mexican food items to include ingredients lower in fat and sodium while simultaneously retaining those with beneficial nutrient contributions could enhance the dietary quality of children who consume these popular foods.