DIETARY ACCULTURATION AND THE NUTRITION TRANSITION:A DETAILED STUDY ON THE STUDENTS OF MMDU, AMBALA, HARYANA

Abstract

Dietary acculturation encompasses alterations in the eating habits of a migrant community upon relocating to a different country. International students, following their migration, often encounter distinct food environments that may result in shifts in their dietary practices and anthropometric measurements from their pre-migration status. The purpose of this study was to investigate alterations in dietary habits, food consumption patterns, anthropometric measurements, and lifestyle behaviour among international students at MMDU before and after their migration.

A total of 413 international students from Africa, Nepal and Bhutan were grouped by nationality. Significant differences were observed among the groups in terms of number of meals consumed, frequency of breakfast, appetite, consumption of fruits, vegetables, fast foods, junk food, packaged food and nutrient supplements after migration. The consumption of non-vegetarian food had significantly decreased across all groups. Also, variations in lifestyle behaviour such as sleep duration, level of physical activity and consumption of alcohol and smoking after migration were observed. Slight decline in weight and BMI was observed after migration in all the three nations.

This research sheds light on the shifts in dietary habits, food consumption, and lifestyle behaviour among international students from various countries after they move to India. Consequently, it accentuates the importance of implementing nutrition programs for international students residing in India.