The study explores the dietary acculturation process among first-generation immigrant families from sub-Saharan Africa or the Caribbean living in Ottawa (Canada). In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 mothers. The interaction between accelerating factors and other mediating factors resulted in a spiral of dietary changes triggered by immigration. The spiral evolved at different paces from traditional to acculturated and toward healthy or unhealthy diets and was hard to stop or to change in its direction once it started. Findings call for enhancing immigrant mothers’ food access, food literacy and nutrition-related parenting skills, and their children’s school food environment. © 2018 Taylor & Francis.

Caribbean Women Immigrant Children black diet migrant nutrition Acculturation Canada Africa

Needs Assessment immigrant Africa south of the Sahara economics developing country human immigration middle aged Developed Countries Food Supply diet ethnology family size Urban Health qualitative research Family Characteristics catering service interview black population Humans migrant psychology Canada Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors female socioeconomics qualitative analysis Mothers cultural factor Food Preferences Western diet Healthy Diet Caribbean Region food assistance Article Caribbean Diet, Western literacy Ontario patient compliance food preference mother adult unhealthy diet Ottawa nutrition Ontario [Canada] child parent relation Child