September 15 to October 15 is celebrated nationwide as National Hispanic Heritage Month. It honors more than 500 years of culture and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans.
To commemorate the occasion, the American Society for Nutrition is proud to spotlight research published in our journals conducted in partnership with Puerto Rican-American, Mexican-American, and other Hispanic and Latin communities. These communities strengthen both ASN and the field of nutrition.
Neo-Traditional and Industrialized Dietary Patterns Coexist and Are Differentially Associated with Cardiometabolic Health among Adults in Puerto Rico. Abrania Marrero, Sebastien Haneuse, Christopher D. Golden, José F. Rodríguez-Orengo, et al. J Nutr 2023;153: 3259-69.
Similarities and Dissimilarities in Diet Quality Differences by Acculturation Level between Mexican Americans and Other Hispanic Americans: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2018. Jessica L. Thomson, Alicia S. Landry, Tameka I. Walls, et al. J Nutr 2023;153: 2401-12.
Healthy dietary patterns are associated with the gut microbiome in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Brandilyn A. Peters, Jiaqian Xing, Guo-Chong Chen, et al. AJCN 2023;117: 540-52.
Diversifying nutritional sciences—dietary practices and gut bacteria in individuals of Latino and Hispanic ancestry. Avner Leshem, Eran Elinav. AJCN 2023;117: 451-2.
Design and Implementation of a Culturally-Tailored Randomized Pilot Trial: Puerto Rican Optimized Mediterranean-Like Diet. Josiemer Mattei, Claudia B. Díaz-Alvarez, Charmaine Alfonso, et al. CurrDevNutr 2023;7: 100022.
Examining the Role of Aguas Frescas in Assessment of Sugary-Drink Intake among Mexican and Mexican American Adults. Rachel E Davis, Dai Fang, Lana Vanderlee, et al. J Nutr 2024;154: 3116-24.
Perspective: Beyond the Mediterranean Diet—Exploring Latin American, Asian, and African Heritage Diets as Cultural Models of Healthy Eating. Kelly E LeBlanc, Sara Baer-Sinnott, Kristie J Lancaster, et al. AdvNutr 2024;15: 100221.
Dietary patterns, serum metabolites, and risk of cardiovascular disease in United States Hispanic/Latino adults: a prospective analysis of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Hongbo Yang, Yi Wang, Kai Luo, et al. AJCN 2025;122: 92-100.
Efficacy of a 24-month behavioral intervention focused on sugary beverage reduction for Latino mother-infant dyads: evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Elder Garcia Varela, Megan A. McVay, Karla P. Shelnutt, et al. AJCN 2025;122: 355-66.
The Determinants of Food Insecurity Among Hispanic/Latinx Households With Young Children: A Narrative Review. Kelly E LeBlanc, Sara Baer-Sinnott, Kristie J Lancaster, et al. AdvNutr 2023;14: 190-210.
An Increase in Food Insecurity Correlated with an Increase in Plasma Triglycerides among Latinx Children. Keally Haushalter, Marissa Burgermaster, Erin Hudson, et al. J Nutr 2024;154: 565-73.
Engaging Latina Females and Community Partners to Pilot Test and Optimize Medically Supportive Groceries. Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, Yessica Martinez Mulet, Wei-ting Chen, et al. CurrDevNutr 2025;9: 107455.
Community-Engaged Codesign and Piloting of the FOOD4MOMS Produce Prescription Program for Pregnant Latina Women. Sofia Segura-Pérez, Andrea Tristán Urrutia, Anqi He, et al. CurrDevNutr 2025;9: 104572.
Consumption of different combinations of human milk oligosaccharides in the first 6 mo of infancy is positively associated with early cognition at 2 y of age in a longitudinal cohort of Latino children. Jonatan Ottino-González, Shana Adise, Christopher J Machle, et al. AJCN 2024;120: 593-601.
Co-creating and Mapping an Exclusive Breastfeeding Framework among Latino Populations in the United States: An Integrated Framework Adaptation Process and Scoping Review. Armando Peña, Zoe Barnsfather, Alison M Miller, et al. AdvNutr 2025;16: 100483.
Association between a Calcium-to-Magnesium Ratio and Osteoporosis among Puerto Rican Adults. Liam E. Fouhy, Kelsey M. Mangano, Xiyuan Zhang, et al. J Nutr 2023; 153; 2642-50.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Women of Reproductive Age in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Rebecca K Campbell, Bhagya Galkissa Dewage, Christina Cordero, et al. CurrDevNutr 2024;8: 104419.
Examining Generalizability across Different Surveys: Comparing Nutrient-Based Food Patterns and Their Cross-Sectional Associations with Cardiometabolic Health in the United States Hispanic/Latino Adults. Jeanette J Varela, Josiemer Mattei, Daniela Sotres-Alvarez, et al. CurrDevNutr 2024;8: 103797.
Associations between sodium, potassium, and blood pressure: results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a prospective cohort study. Samuel L Swift, Daniela Sotres-Alvarez, Leopoldo Raij, et al. AJCN 2024;119: 1155-63.
Adherence to Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and Healthy Eating Indices are associated with lower risk of disability among Puerto Rican adults from the longitudinal Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Kaylea D Flanagan, David J Cornell, Kelsey M Mangano, et al. AJCN 2024;120: 389-97.
Associations among diabetes medication use, serum magnesium, and insulin resistance in a cohort of older Puerto Rican adults. Fan Chen, Kelsey M Mangano, Mahdi Garelnabi, et al. AJCN 2024;119: 1523-32.
Association of meal timing with adiposity measures and gut microbiome characteristics in a cohort study: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Sarah K Alver, Brandilyn A Peters, Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani, et al. AJCN 2025;121: 1365-1379.
Association between Acid-Lowering Agents, Metformin, and Vitamin B12 among Boston-Area Puerto Ricans. Deepika Dinesh, Jong Soo Lee, Tammy M. Scott, et al. J Nutr 2023; 153; 2380-8.
Identification of Dietary Supplements Associated with Blood Metabolites in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Cohort Study. Robert C. Kaplan, Jessica S. Williams-Nguyen, Yuhan Huang, et al. J Nutr 2023; 153; 1483-92.
Evaluation of a Rapid Four-Compartment Model and Stand-Alone Methods in Hispanic Adults. Brett S. Nickerson, Grant M. Tinsley, Kyung-Shin Park, et al. J Nutr 2023; 153; 2154-62.
Further Reading:
National Museum of the American Latino – Includes Food & Recipes!
