Changes in Dietary Behavior of Arab International Students in the US

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine changes in dietary habits among males, females, single, and married Arab international students in the United States (US). The second aim was to examine differences in food consumption patterns and lifestyle behaviors among these groups. Methods A cross-sectional survey of eating habits before and after moving to the US, recruited Arab international college students (n=95, mean age 25.6±5.6 years old) who has been residing for ≥6 months, in Northeast Ohio (2010). Independent variables were gender and marital status, including 66 males (56% single) and (44% married) and 29 females (24% single) (76% married). A repeated-measures factorial (2X2) ANOVA, in addition to T-tests and Pearson's Chi-Square were performed to examine changes in dietary pattern and lifestyle behaviors by gender and marital status. Results After moving to the US Total Participants (TP) showed, daily food patterns significantly (p≤0.001) shifted towards having less traditional (2.17±1.02 to 1.05±0.77) and more westernized foods (0.85±0.94 to 1.3±0.861), associated with marital status (p≤0.001, p≤0.016, respectively). More than 60% of TP reported changes in their eating pattern. The TP number of meals significantly (p≤0.001) decreased (2.66±0.82 to 2.07±0.70), while the number of snacks significantly (p≤0.013) increased (1.57±0.97 to 1.87±1.25), associated with gender (p≤0.012). Approximately 44% of participants reported decrease of intakes from food groups. Married participants consumed more vegetables and fruit (p≤0.052), starches (p≤0.025), and fat/oils (p≤0.026) than single participants. Females' intakes from fat/oils and meat group were significantly higher (p≤0.018, p≤0.04, respectively) than males. Married and female participants maintained more traditional and diversified food choices and would cook/eat at home more compared to singles and males. Around 50% of respondents did not exercise; however married and female participants did report dieting. Exercise found to be related with gender (r=0.238, p≤0.05), whereas dieting was associated (p≤0.056) with marital status. Conclusion The participants of our study experienced significant shift in their diet, food choices, and eating pattern once relocating to the US. Maintaining balanced dietary intake from food groups, as well as healthier food choices must be taken into consideration regardless of mixing the diet of traditional and westernized.

Lifestyle Medicine in Focus: A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Domestic and International Students

“…International students, on the other hand, faced various barriers when it came to maintaining healthy eating habits. These barriers included the high cost of traditional foods compared to fast food options, the poor quality of regular food choices, lack of time and knowledge required for food preparation, challenges related to food preparation methods, taste, appearance, and neophobia, which is the fear of trying new foods [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Additionally, religious orientations can affect their access to specific ethnic cuisines such as Arabic, Japanese, or Chinese food.…”

Factors influencing the nutritional behavior of Syrian migrants in Germany — results of a qualitative study

“…This includes the consumption of prepared and fast food, which is high in calories and low in nutritional value [ 20 – 23 ]. For example, Kh Al-Farhan et al [ 24 ] showed that Arabic students, after living in the United States for more than 6 months, tend to develop an eating behavior that is less traditional and more westernized. Sastre and Haldeman [ 25 ] describe a rapid dietary acculturation among adolescent refugees migrated to North Carolina, with an increase in consumed sugary and fast food.…”