CHAPTER 11 Central American Food Practices


have mixed-race ancestry; this includes the Garifuna of African and Indigenous ancestry. Some Central Americans have other ancestry, including those who are descendants of indentured laborers from China, the Philippines, and South Asia and others with foreign-born Chinese, Korean, Japa- nese, Middle Eastern, and European ancestry. Central America’s agricultural sector plays a key role in


job creation, rural income, export promotion, and food secu- rity. Te region, along with the other Caribbean countries, produces approximately 170 million tons of raw foodstuffs.3 Te economies of Central America have been based on crop production since the late 1800s, which includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, and some oil crops. Its major trade partners include the US, Canada, and countries of Western Europe.


Language and Religion Te official language of most Central American nations is Spanish. Te exception is Belize, where English is the official language. Many Indigenous languages are spoken in Central America. For example, in Guatemala, there are 23 Mayan languages; K’iche’ is spoken by over 1 million people.2


Addi-


tionally, various dialects of Spanish are spoken throughout Central America.


Catholicism is the primary religion in Central America,


brought to the region in the 1500s by Spanish colonists. In recent years, membership in Protestant denominations is rising, particularly in Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicara- gua, El Salvador, and Puerto Rico.3


In 2020, a survey found


that about 84% of Central Americans identify as Catholic, while nearly 8% identify as Protestant.4 for more on Christian food practices.


Refer to Chapter 26


Immigration History and Demographics Te first wave of Central American migration to the US (1980 to 1990) was driven by the effects of foreign policy, corruption, civil war, displacement, and economic instabil- ity.5


In subsequent years up to today, lack of employment,


the rise of drug-related and street-gang violence, and extreme poverty have caused a large number of Central American campesinos (peasants) and unskilled workers to flee the region. El Salvadoreans, Guatemalans, and Hon- durans constitute 87% of all Central Americans in the US.6


migrants in the US limits opportunities for income, jobs, education, and health care and increases risk for food


insecurity, among other problems.7 In 2021, 3.8 million


Central American immigrants accounted for 8% of the US foreign-born population. Te Central American–born population in the US has grown by 25% since 2010. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have been the top-three origin countries for immigrants from Central America, followed by Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica. Nearly half of Central American immigrants in the US live in California, Texas, Florida, and New York. Te greater metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC, Miami, and Houston are home to the largest number of immigrants from Central America.8 In general, Central American immigrants are consider-


ably disadvantaged when compared with other foreign- born and US-born populations. Overall, they tend to have significantly lower educational attainment and limited English proficiency; about one-fifth are likely to live below the federal poverty level. However, they represent one of the highest percentages of the US labor force compared with other US foreign-born and US-born adults.9


Refer to the section opener on pages 205 through 210 for more about Latin America and its regions and cultures.


235


Common Health Concerns Many with Central American heritage in the US are recent immigrants. Teir background may include limited provision of preventive and therapeutic health services, which may affect their risk and prevalence for chronic health problems. As Central American countries have become more urban- ized with rural migration and globalization, significant incidences of obesity and chronic diseases have emerged.


Te undocumented status of many Central American


Diabetes Reporting of diabetes prevalence within Central America reflects the diversity of the region’s populations. For instance, Honduras once had the lowest diabetes prevalence (5.4%). Belize had the highest prevalence (12.9%) but also had the second-lowest prediabetes rates (16.5%) in the region. Te overall rate of prediabetes for Central America is 18.6%; Guatemala has the highest rate (28.2%), and Nicaragua has the lowest (12.4%).10


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