--- title: "Dairy products in the Chinese-American family. | Sutter Health" description: "Theory-based qualitative study explored how first-generation Chinese American families view and use dairy products." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dairy-products-in-the-chinese-american-family-1055312658" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Dairy products in the Chinese-American family. # Place of dairy products in the Chinese-American family food system. Lv N & Brown JL. _J Am Diet Assoc. 110(8):1207-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2010.05.003._ 2010-08-01 ## Abstract Chinese Americans have a high risk of osteoporosis and their calcium intake is substantially below the daily recommendation. However, little has been done to reduce the risk of this hard-to-reach population. This theory-based qualitative study explored how first-generation Chinese American couples with children view dairy products, how they use them in their family food system, and how these uses influence their dietary behavior or intake. Twenty couples, recruited from weekend Chinese schools at three locations in Pennsylvania, were interviewed. Taste, texture, and use of additives and growth hormones appeared to be more important influences on dairy choice than lactose intolerance. In these families, parental use of food rules and power to influence food patterns affected family flexibility about dairy use. Father's power, his views of dairy products, and his preference for Chinese-based dinners had a greater influence than those of his wife or children on the use of dairy-based dinner dishes. In contrast, choices at breakfast or lunch and for snacks were more flexible and could include dairy products. Nutrition educators can encourage introduction of dairy products into the traditional dietary pattern of Chinese Americans by offering opportunities to taste unfamiliar dairy products, demonstrating use of dairy products to prepare familiar foods, including both parents in any intervention or at least in tasting recipes, and providing information on importance of calcium to bone health and amount of calcium needed from reputable sources. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20656096) ## Research topics - [Food and Nutrition](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Food+and+Nutrition%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Food safety knowledge and practices of low income adults in Pennsylvania.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/food-safety-practices-of-low-income-adults-in-pa-1055312850) Wenrich T, Cason K, Lv N, Kassab C. Food Protect Trends. 23(4):326-335. 2003 Jun 01 - Publication ### [Chinese American family food systems: impact of Western influences.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/western-influence-on-chinese-american-food-systems-1055312683) Lv N, Brown JL. J Nutr Educ Behav. 42(2):106-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2009.04.005. 2010 Mar 01 - Publication ### [High fructose corn syrup and sucrose sweetened milk improve dietary quality during weight loss by displacing energy dense, nutrient poor foods.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/sweetened-milk-improves-diet-in-weight-loss-1055312632) Sinnett S, Lowndes J, Nguyen V, Clark K, Lv N, Rippe J. Food and Nutr Sci. 5(11):1005-1014. Article ID:46899. doi:10.4236/fns.2014.511111 2014 Jun 01 - Publication ### [Current dietary pattern and acculturation of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/diet-and-acculturation-of-chinese-americans-in-pa-1055312875) Top Clin Nutr. 18(4):291–300. Lv N Cason KL. 2003 Oct 01 - Publication ### [The effect of meal situation, social interaction, physical environment and choice on food acceptability.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/social-interaction-phys-env-choice-food-acceptance-1055312834) King SC, Weber AJ, Meiselman HL, Lv N. Food Qual Prefer. 15(7–8):645–653. 2004 Oct 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dairy-products-in-the-chinese-american-family-1055312658#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Dairy products in the Chinese-American family."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dairy-products-in-the-chinese-american-family-1055312658#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Place of dairy products in the Chinese-American family food system.","headline":"Dairy products in the Chinese-American family.","abstract":"Chinese Americans have a high risk of osteoporosis and their calcium intake is substantially below the daily recommendation. 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