Picking fruit from our backyard's trees: The meaning of nostalgia in shaping Latinas' eating practices in the United States

Understanding “nostalgic inequality”: A critical analysis of barriers to Latinos’ healthy eating practices in the United States

“…We define nostalgic foods as ethnic staples and culinary recipes that are maintained, prepared and consumed by immigrants and their families in receiving countries, and that trigger emotional memories from their cultural and ethnic heritage. [12,[15][16][17] Our findings warrant a dual-interpretative framework since Latinas incorporate eating habits typical of their places of settlement, while still remaining faithful to the food traditions of their homelands. Study participants told stories of their easy access to vegetables from their childhood's gardens along with fresh fruits and eggs collected from chickens reared in their families' backyards.…”

“…[24][25][26][27][28] The contradictory findings associating acculturation with dietary intake speak to the need for developing more comprehensive instruments that account for the social, economic, and political environments that affect immigrants' changing eating practices through time. [15,29,30] While previous research has mostly paid attention to individual-level acculturation measures, a growing trend in public health research recognizes the role of socio-economic constraints, such as food insecurity, as being the main determinants of immigrants' obesogenic tendencies and changing food habits. [31] In order to reduce health disparities among Latino populations in the U.S., we need to understand the impact of such barriers in shaping health-related behaviors.…”

“…Finally, these deleterious eating habits were coupled with a lack of physical activity and everyday stressors that often led them to developing overeating patterns. [15] 4. THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: FINDING HEALTHY SOLUTIONS When asked for suggestions for improving their diets, participants mostly mentioned the need for subsidizing programs that would allow them to regularly buy fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and low-fat meats.…”

“…[7,12,15,16] Our work relied on a mixed-methods approach (that combined individual questionnaires and group interviews) which, among other aims, explored the relationship between eating patterns and women's perceptions about obesity trends and weight control. Initially, we were interested in Latinas' subjective views concerning weight gain and body dissatisfaction.…”

“…[13][14][15] Our research has found that while certain dietary practices originating in Latinos' countries of origin result in protective factors against obesity and chronic disease (e.g., the consumption of whole grains and fruits); others, such as the abundance of saturated fats and carbohydrates, are detrimental to their health. [15,16] Although there exists a vast literature on the cultural and emotional significance of traditional meals among different migrant and ethnic groups, little is known about their effect on health. We now turn to further exploring this association by reviewing some of the most striking findings drawn from our long-term research studies on Latinas' retention of nostalgic foods in the U.S.…”