Maintenance of traditional cultural orientation is associated with lower rates of obesity and sedentary behaviours among African migrant children to Australia

Abstract

Background: Migrants from developing to developed countries rapidly develop more obesity than the host population. While the effects of socio-economic status on obesity are well established, the influence of cultural factors, including acculturation, is not known. Objective: To examine the association between acculturation and obesity and its risk factors among African migrant children in Australia. Design and participants: A cross-sectional study using a non-probability sample of 3-to 12-year-old sub-Saharan African migrant children. A bidimensional model of strength of affiliation with African and Australian cultures was used to divide the sample into four cultural orientations: traditional (African), assimilated (Australian), integrated (both) and marginalized (neither). Main outcome measures: Body mass index (BMI), leisure-time physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours (SBs) and energy density of food. Results: In all, 18.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 14-23%) were overweight and 8.6% (95% CI: 6-12%) were obese. After adjustment for confounders, integrated (b ¼ 1.1; Po0.05) and marginalized (b ¼ 1.4; Po0.01) children had higher BMI than traditional children. However, integrated children had significantly higher time engaged in both PA (b ¼ 46.9, Po0.01) and SBs (b ¼ 43.0, Po0.05) than their traditional counterparts. In comparison with traditional children, assimilated children were more sedentary (b ¼ 57.5, Po0.01) while marginalization was associated with increased consumption of energy-dense foods (b ¼ 42.0, Po0.05). Conclusions: Maintenance of traditional orientation was associated with lower rates of obesity and SBs. Health promotion programs and frameworks need to be rooted in traditional values and habits to maintain and reinforce traditional dietary and PA habits, as well as identify the marginalized clusters and address their needs.

Does nativity matter?

“…Efforts to maintain origin identity and cultural practices can help maintain health advantages of immigrants. Renzaho and colleagues find that children of African immigrants in Australia exhibit lower rates of obesity than the native-born (Renzaho, Swinburn, and Burns 2008), similar to the findings of Parsons and colleagues among Muslims in the United Kingdom (Parsons et al 1999).…”

Fruit and vegetable consumption among migrants in Switzerland

“…However, the evidence on dietary patterns is mixed (25) . While some studies report that migrant status is associated with a low daily intake of fruit and vegetables or adverse dietary patterns (26,27) , others report that migrant status is associated with a higher daily intake or beneficial dietary patterns compared with the native population of the host country (28)(29)(30)(31)(32) . Given that the mixed evidence partially reflects culture-specific dietary practices as well as acculturation to the dietary practices of the host countries, we may expect different patterns of fruit and vegetable consumption among migrants in Switzerland as well.…”

Exploring obesogenic environments: The design and development of the migrant obesogenic perception of the environment questionnaire (MOPE-Q) using a sample of Iranian migrants in Australia

“…This was particularly important when attempting to employ items across two different settings that have been experienced by a sample of Iranian immigrants in Victoria, Australia. Furthermore, using qualitative information from previous study [8] on Iranian migrants enabled us to determine different aspects of Iranian migrants' experiences rather than solely relying on scholars' theories and guidance from previous obesity and migrants' health research. The emphasis on physical activity environments and government liveability policies in Australia as important influences on healthy weight behaviour in Australia was notable.…”