A focus on the health status and behaviors of Latinos is essential in California, one of the two states in which half of all Latinos in the U.S. reside. This dissertation is composed of five chapters describing various aspects of health-related behaviors of this growing population. After the general overview, a literature review describes past findings and areas of interest related to nutritional and physical activity habits of Spanish-speakers in the U.S. A pertinent discussion of questionnaire design and psychometric properties is also included here. Following the literature...