Ernahrungs Umschau
Volume 66, Issue 3, 2019, Pages 45-51

Nutritional habits of female asylum seekers - From tradition to adaptation (Article)

Schmitt R. , Fülle J. , Rizk J.A. , Al-Sayed L. , Masserrat N. , Schüle E. , Scherbaum V.*
  • a Insitut für Biologische Chemie und Ernährungswissenschaft (140a), Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
  • b Insitut für Biologische Chemie und Ernährungswissenschaft (140a), Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
  • c Insitut für Biologische Chemie und Ernährungswissenschaft (140a), Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, Food Security Center, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
  • d Institute of Social Sciences in Agriculture - Societal Transition and Agriculture (430b), Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, Food Security Center, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
  • e Institute of Physics and Meteorology, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
  • f Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Divine Word University, Madang, Papua New Guinea
  • g Insitut für Biologische Chemie und Ernährungswissenschaft (140a), Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, Food Security Center, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract

One year after an explorative cross-sectional study carried out at Caritas Stuttgart communal accommodations for asylum seekers [1], a qualitative study on the nutritional habits of 25 female asylum seekers was conducted. The participants' nutritional habits were influenced to a large extent by cultural conceptions and culture-specific behaviors, which had to do with their feelings of connectedness to their countries of origin. The study also made it clear how much the participants missed eating together with others as a social experience when living in the host country. The changes to the structure and rhythm of the participant's days, for instance as a result of participation in language courses, led to them adapting their nutritional habits and to some inadequate practices in terms of proper nutrition in early childhood. Thus, when providing support in the area of nutrition, particular attention should be paid to health-, psychosocial-, and cultural aspects. © 2019 Umschau Zeitschriftenverlag Breidenstein GmbH. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Socioeconomic conditions Asylum seekers Nutritional habits Acculturation food culture

Index Keywords

female feeding behavior Infant rhythm language attention cultural factor qualitative research Article childhood asylum seeker human cross-sectional study human experiment conception

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85074211022&doi=10.4455%2feu.2019.010&partnerID=40&md5=21208b9e0b39be9797483b3243f876f7

DOI: 10.4455/eu.2019.010
ISSN: 01740008
Original Language: English