Impact of Acculturation on Body Mass Index in Haitians Immigrants: Closing the Gap in The Literature in Bloomington, MN

Longer-term Haitian immigrants residing in the United States exhibit a decline in physical health-related to a high body mass index (BMI). While the literature doesn't have much to offer, I have used theories on immigrant acculturation to examine health patterns in Haitian immigrants by the length of their stay in the United States. The purpose of this cross-sectional study, guided by the Schwartz model of acculturation, was to examine the effect of acculturation and the length of stay in the United States on BMI in a sample of Haitian immigrants living in the Northeast Metropolitan area. This book is an extension of my study. According to the study results, acculturation, the length of stay, age, gender, and physical activity were not significant predictors of BMI change. An ancillary analysis using the subscales of acculturation revealed similar results. This study may provide positive social change by enabling health providers to understand the beliefs, values, and practices of Haitian immigrant groups and the acculturation pattern of individuals when providing care for this population.