Background: Migration from low to high-income countries is associated with dietary change, but the particular patterns of dietary change and the mechanisms underlying such change are poorly understood. This research seeks to explore dietary practices and associated factors amongst people of Ghanaian descent living in Europe.
Methods: This PhD consists of three studies: a systematic mapping review of factors influencing dietary behaviour of ethnic minority groups in Europe more generally, followed by an empirical, mixed method study amongst people of Ghanaian descent living in Europe. The mixed methods study comprised qualitative in-depth interviews focussing on the experiences of participants living in Greater Manchester and secondary data analysis from a larger European study.
Results: The mapping review identified a broad range of factors that influence dietary behaviours among ethnic minority groups that were sorted into seven clusters. The mixed method study showed bicultural dietary patterns were discernible among people of Ghanaian descent living in different European settings. In the qualitative study, three sets of dietary practices emerged amongst participants living in Greater Manchester. The three dietary practices reflected varying degrees of continuity or change from traditional Ghanaian dietary practices. The importance that participants associated with cultural identity, having Ghanaian social networks and the availability of ethnic shops in the UK were crucial in maintaining traditional dietary practices. Important factors that increased the likelihood of adopting UK dietary practices were being a second-generation migrant, having non-Ghanaian social networks and having a busy lifestyle. Analysis of secondary data showed differences between the dietary intake of Ghanaians living in Ghana and Ghanaians living in Europe; an indication of dietary change following migration. However, the quantitative secondary data analysis failed to find consistent evidence for the role of acculturation in dietary change amongst people of Ghanaian descent living in Europe based on the measures applied in this PhD. Furthermore, the study gave limited support to the differential changes in diet suggested by the predominant model for dietary pattern changes following migration.
Conclusion: This PhD provides insights on the complexity of change in dietary practices following migration, indicating that it is not a linear process and it is dependent on several inter -related factors. The typologies of dietary practices and clusters of factors identified in this PhD offers a way for nutrition researchers and practitioners to understand the complexity of dietary change amongst West African migrants
