Public Health Nutrition
Volume 12, Issue 6, 2009, Pages 832-841

Influence of acculturation among Tunisian migrants in France and their past/present exposure to the home country on diet and physical activity (Article) (Open Access)

Méjean C. , Traissac P. , Eymard-Duvernay S. , Delpeuch F. , Maire B.*
  • a Nutrition Unit, UR106 (Nutrition, Alimentation, Sociétés), Institut de Recherche Pour Le Développment, BP 64501, F-34394 Montpellier, France, Doctoral School 393 'Public Health: Epidemiology and Biomedical Information Sciences', Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
  • b Nutrition Unit, UR106 (Nutrition, Alimentation, Sociétés), Institut de Recherche Pour Le Développment, BP 64501, F-34394 Montpellier, France
  • c Nutrition Unit, UR106 (Nutrition, Alimentation, Sociétés), Institut de Recherche Pour Le Développment, BP 64501, F-34394 Montpellier, France
  • d Nutrition Unit, UR106 (Nutrition, Alimentation, Sociétés), Institut de Recherche Pour Le Développment, BP 64501, F-34394 Montpellier, France
  • e Nutrition Unit, UR106 (Nutrition, Alimentation, Sociétés), Institut de Recherche Pour Le Développment, BP 64501, F-34394 Montpellier, France

Abstract

Objective: To study how dietary patterns and physical activity vary with acculturation and with past and current exposure to socio-cultural norms of the home country among Tunisian migrants. Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using quota sampling (n 150) based on age and residence. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. Physical activity level and dietary aspects were compared according to length of residence (acculturation), age at migration (past exposure) and social ties with the home country (current exposure). Subjects and setting: Tunisian migrant men residing in the South of France. Results: Migrants who had lived in France for more than 9 years had a higher percentage contribution of meat to energy intake (P = 0.04), a higher Na intake (P = 0.04), a lower percentage contribution of sugar and sweets (P = 0.04) and a lower percentage of carbohydrates (P = 0.03) than short-term migrants. Men who migrated before 21 years of age had a higher Na intake than 'late' migrants (P = 0.02). Men who had distant social ties with Tunisia had a lower physical activity level (P = 0.01) whereas men who had close ties had a higher percentage of fat (P = 0.01) and a higher ratio of MUFA to SFA (P = 0.02). Conclusions: Acculturation led to a convergence of some characteristics to those of the host population, while some results (meat and salt consumption) were at variance with other acculturation studies. Past and current exposure to the home country helped maintain some positive aspects of the diet. Nevertheless, present dietary changes in Tunisia could soon lessen these features. Copyright © The Authors 2008.

Author Keywords

Lifestyle Age at migration Length of residence Migrants

Index Keywords

physical activity immigrant physiology psychological aspect exercise France caloric intake human middle aged statistics Cohort Studies social aspect priority journal diet feeding behavior Time Factors ethnology Humans male Acculturation questionnaire cultural factor sodium intake Article Retrospective Studies Questionnaires major clinical study adult migration Food Habits age distribution cohort analysis Transients and Migrants social class retrospective study Tunisia Diet Surveys meat salt intake dietary intake sugar intake time
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-67650757152&doi=10.1017%2fS1368980008003285&partnerID=40&md5=b7c7bbd69b6b1b46db6c2364e37a6451
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980008003285
ISSN: 13689800
Cited by: 35
Original Language: English